The final event of the Dance Futures project took place in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on the 6th of November 2018. This event marked the closing of a two-year European project focusing on dancers’ mobility and transition.
The Dance Futures project had the dual aim of offering better and more comprehensive support to dancers in the context of mobility through the relaunch of the EuroFIA Dance Passport; and of driving forwards the creation of transition schemes for professional dancers in three selected countries.
This one day event was divided into three parts: an update from the three burgeoning transition schemes, a reflection on the continuity of the action after the end of the project and the launch of the new Dance Passport website.
The presentations about the progresses made in Belgium (Wallonia), Hungary and Spain gave us great hope for the establishment of the three transition schemes. In Belgium, work is very well underway. The Fonds Social pour les Arts de la Scène de la Communauté Wallonie Bruxelles is currently working with the APEF – Association Pariaire pour l’Emploi et le Formation – on the details of a future transition scheme for dancers and circus artists. In Hungary and Spain, important progresses have been made even though the change of government in both countries slowed the process. In Hungary a working group form from the Hungarian Dance Society is currently discussing with the new Secretary for Culture about the implementation of the scheme. In Spain, the dance sector is currently focusing on the creation of a pilot project on dancers’ transition, trying in the meantime to solve the issues that block at the moment the creation of a proper scheme.
The discussion called “Beyond the Dance Futures project” was very interesting. The panellists – Paul Bronkhorst (IOTPD), César Casares (ConARTE), Tobias Könemann (VdO), Marie Fol (On the Move) and Daphne Tepper (Creative Skills Europe) – talked about how FIA could continue to support dancers’ transition and mobility. The panel discussion was followed by a series of presentations about other issues of interest for professional dancers. There were three presentations: ‘Sexual harassment in the dance sector’; ‘Safe rehearsals & performance spaces’ and ‘Training, injuries & insurances’.
The last part of the day was dedicated to the launch of the new Dance Passport website. As an introduction, three representatives of member unions of FIA (SFA, STST and VdO) took the floor to tell about the history of the tool, the users’ expectations and the work of the steering committee. The project coordinator then presented and demonstrated the new website. She highlighted the importance of the dissemination to ensure the success of the tool. Therefore, she invited all participating unions to communicate as much as possible about the Dance Passport.
For more information about the Dance Passport, please visit: www.dancepasseport.eu
You can download the Dance Passport flyer here
