Description
"GODOS" is a project designed to expand audiences. Its aim is to reach new viewers, reduce the cultural disjuncture between larger and smaller cities and to increase the accessibility to culture in the regions of Lithuania and Norway. The project will popularize modern dance among future generations of professional dancers, and involve regional communities, people of different generations, various social groups, especially children and young people up to the age of 25, and dance educators in modern dance activities. One of the main activities in this project is to create a two-segment play of modern dance, which would be a creative cooperation project by Dance Theatre of Kaunas "Aura" (Lithuania) and Dance Theatre "Panta Rei" (Norway). Combining Norwegian and Lithuanian cultural heritages, folklore, modern music and dance in an experimental way is the key concept of this play. In addition to the co-production between the two dance theatres, the Dance Theatre "Panta Rei" will organize seminars about the expansion of audience for Lithuanian dancers, so that they would be thoroughly prepared for touring in the regions of Lithuania and Norway. The strategies of audience expansion include knowledge of conducting a creative workshop and its general choreographic methods. During the tours in the regions of both countries, educational activities will be held, designed to expand the audience. Project participants from the regions will attend educational dance sessions and creative workshops, where they might collaborate with local musicians and will create short performances. The aim of this is to introduce residents of the regions to the art of modern dance not only by performing them in a mutual Lithuanian and Norwegian dance play, but also by involving them in the creative process of modern dance and offering them an opportunity to create a piece themselves.
Summary of project results
Godos is a multilayered project between two contemporary dance theaters from Lithuania and Norway. It was aimed at enhancing artistic collaboration between the two countries, promoting contemporary dance and increasing accessibility to culture in the regions. A two-part dance performance is a joint production of the theaters in which past, present and future intertwine, where feminine sensuality, mystical creatures and futuristic vision of the world are disclosed. In order to develop contemporary dance audience, dancers led educational workshops in regional towns of Lithuania (Švenčionys, Mažeikiai, Nida) and Norway (Fredrikstad, Moss). Beforehand, project partner organized audience development trainings for the Lithuanian dancers.
Summary of bilateral results
Panta Rei Dance Theatre co-created the professional dance theatre production as well as transferred knowledge to the dance artists involved as to how to hold workshops and choreograph on local community groups both with and without previous dance experience. Panta Rei Dance Theatre was the project co-ordinator in Norway and liaise with Scenekunst Østfold. Scenekunst Østfold planed the touring in Norway and liaised with the local communities involved. They also covered some of the costs related to the Norwegian tour.