● Performing Gender - Dance Makes Differences

APS Arcigay Il Cassero (IT)

Paso A 2 Plataforma Coreografica Asociacion Cultural (ES), Comune di Bassano del Grappa (IT), Stichting Theaterfestival Boulevard 'Shertogenbosch (NL), Mesto Zensk, Drustvo Za Promocijo Zensk V Kulturi (SI), Yorkshire Dance Centre Trust (GB)

State of the art

Gender identities and sexual orientations are at the centre of the social stage in many countries around Europe. Communities of citizens are pushing for a new political phase, with the acknowledgement of new civil rights and new forms of citizenship. New intercultural competencies should be imagined, designed and practised in order to deal with this epochal shift.

Description of the project

Performing Gender – Dance Makes Differences was a 2-year capacity-building programme, addressed to a new generation of European dance artists and professionals. The objective was to provide them with a set of skills and tools to develop a new form of narrative on LGBTI identities in Europe, whose citizens live today in dramatically diverse contexts of social recognition. PG-DMD helped professionals to formalise new practices, to achieve new landmarks and spaces of experimentation. The project acknowledged the need to train a group of pioneers, able to make the sector aware of the codes ruling it and pushing for the implementation of new capacity-building models, nurturing professional growth for a new generation of EU artists. PG-DMD opened the gate to new communities, creating a process of empowerment, breaking the mechanism of seeing people only as representatives of a social group.

Gender identities and sexual orientations are constitutive elements of our self-perception and keys to understand others, fundamental pillars to build our sense of citizenship.

Creative Europe’s support

The project involved in each country associations and social groups sharing their knowledge or life experience with PG-DMD actors, involving communities in workshops and performances. PG-DMD opened the gate of these communities, creating a process of empowerment at European level.

#dance #capacity building #new narratives #LGBTI

Beyond Gender

PG-DMD created an environment in which conventions and mind-sets on gender equality were deconstructed. All those involved have become enablers of this dialogue. A new set of intercultural and intersectional skills was integrated into the work of dance and cultural professionals, as well as partner organisations and networks of academics and decision makers involved in the project.

Contact

www.performinggender.eu Creative Europe Project Results