This year ShotCuts will devote itself to current productions of contemporary dance from Africa and Europe. For most Europeans, Africa still remains the most mystified continent. But – whether admitted or not – Europe’s story of the last centuries is an African story. Just as the African story is European with all certainty.
That the African continent has been imprinted severely by European forces and influences through colonialism, post-colonialism, and globalization is familiar to most of us. But what are the influences the other way round? What do we Europeans know of 21. Century Africa?

During the coming festival, DanceKiosk wants to provide young dancers and choreographers from both continents with the chance to embark on a journey of joint discourse: Performances, labs, installations, and lecture performances will initiate discussions and important questions. Especially questions, which probe into the respective work methods, formations, systems of reference, methods and styles, as well as issues which deal with political and economic conditions. Also the role of both country’s/continent’s audiences should be a subject of discussion, as well as the use of additional aesthetic or contextual elements like music and text.

Most of the European participants are dancers and choreographers of the dance beyond borders zusammen.

dance beyond borders is an European pilot project for international dancing education. Together with international institutions and dance schools in five European countries it offers ten young, upcoming dancers and choreographers an education program. This project was initiated by SharingArts e.V. in cooperation with Dance kiosk-Hamburg, ArtEZ School of Dance, Escola Superior de Dança, Lisbon; London Metropolitan University - Performance as Research; and the Retina Dance Company, Belgium. dance beyond borders provided the 10 young dancers and choreographers with the opportunity to meet in 4 European countries in order to learn and work together for 2 weeks. The results of the different encounters – shaped by the different work methods of the respective organizations and mentors – will be presented during the festival, and constitute the opening of the ensuing discourse. dance beyond borders is funded by the cultural program of the European Comission and supported by Hamburger Sprechwerk and K3 – Zentrum für Choreographie, Hamburg.

The possibility for specific exchange is supposed to provide the African, as well as the European participants with the opportunity to share their artistic visions, and to intensify mutual networks in order to advance future joint-operations.

As in past years, many artists of the Hamburg dance-scene will also be present: Among others, chosen productions of the Dance in Hamburg Initiative, as well as Hamburg based dancer, curator, and director of workshops Angelina Akpovo from Benin.