The contemporary dance art program at the Latvian Academy of Culture was established 25 years ago. On International Dance Day, choreographers and critics came together to appreciate the performance of young artists and talk about the future of the industry.
“This community of contemporary dance is getting bigger and bigger, because this summer we will be able to say that there are a hundred young artists who have graduated from the Contemporary Dance program at the Academy of Culture, they are very diverse, each with different interests, needs, values, styles,” said the dance critic, researcher Dita Jonīte. “I think it’s more and more difficult to agree on one thing and still have this dream of one center, one institutional support organization around which this contemporary dance community could circle, work, create creative projects, where there would always be that support.”
“One of the things is definitely what we have talked about a lot and for a long time, because we have had an educational program for almost 30 years in Latvia, but there is no single place that can be called a home for contemporary dance artists. A single, centralized place where you can present your works. to show what the society would associate with the word contemporary dance,” Agnese Bordjukova, head of the Choreographers’ Association, highlighted the situation in the industry.
“Of course, the support, if we look at what is now in the film industry, that there is a green light and how it develops, awards here and there, what films! Of course, we do not ask for the same money for dance, but at least some part,” Olga Zhitlukhina, head of the “Art of Contemporary Dance” program of the Academy of Culture, emphasized. “Some kind of company that is subsidized is needed, and look how many state choirs we have, how many choirs that have salaries, how many orchestras, theaters, how many actors we have?”
Although there are more and more choreographers, dancers and contemporary dance events in Latvia, it is still an industry that works from project to project. Long life for a dance performance is the exception, not the norm. In such circumstances, the young choreographers who presented their diploma theses on April 29 at the Riga Circus will have to start an independent professional life after graduating from the Academy of Culture.
“If earlier I told the students to “go away” – I will not say that it is easier there, there are more opportunities and there is no need to explain to anyone that dance needs support, that money is needed – now I said “stay, please”, let it be the community will strengthen and let us be strong, because dance is everywhere, contemporary dance is everywhere – in all clips, in all commercials, performances, traditional dances, non-traditional dances, theaters creating our contemporary dance industry. We are visible, we do a lot – support, support more seriously.”
