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Photo by Serena Nicoletti
Amidst a fast-changing world, cont·act Contemporary Dance Festival embarks on a new chapter in its journey of making, performing and experiencing dance. This year marks the 12th edition of the Festival, and its first steps ahead with its refreshed Festival name, “cont·act”, meaning “continued act”. With a rousing finale of completely live programmes, with both local and international artists, cont·act Contemporary Dance Festival 2022: Breathing Ground presents diverse perspectives and contemplations on the world – then, now and ahead – as we begin to reimagine dance in an endemic world.
Artists
Founded in Catania (Sicily I) in 1989 by Roberto Zappalà, artistic director and main choreographer, and regularly supported since 1996 by the Italian Ministry of Culture and by the Region of Sicily, the Compagnia Zappalà Danza is considered one of the most unique contemporary dance companies in Italy today.
Compagnia Zappalà Danza distinguishes itself with a wide and articulated repertory, a result of the synergistic and prolific work of Roberto Zappalà and dramaturg Nello Calabrò, who traced together in the last ten years a path in continuous expansion that allowed for the realisation of different types of productions, from creations for a few dancers to those with the entire company, most of them with live music.
Zappalà often deals with extended, longer-term projects such as Corpi incompiuti (2002-2007), Instruments (2007-2009), Re-mapping Sicily (2007- now). Among his creations for the company, Pasolini nell'era di Internet was selected for BIG Torino 2000, and A. semu tutti devoti tutti?, which received the Danza & Danza Prize 2010 for the best Italian production, was recently staged at the Théâtre de la Ville of Paris. Recently, the production LA NONA (from chaos, the body) received the Danza & Danza 2015 Award Italian Production of the Year.
Compagnia Zappalà Danza distinguishes itself with a wide and articulated repertory, a result of the synergistic and prolific work of Roberto Zappalà and dramaturg Nello Calabrò, who traced together in the last ten years a path in continuous expansion that allowed for the realisation of different types of productions, from creations for a few dancers to those with the entire company, most of them with live music.
Zappalà often deals with extended, longer-term projects such as Corpi incompiuti (2002-2007), Instruments (2007-2009), Re-mapping Sicily (2007- now). Among his creations for the company, Pasolini nell'era di Internet was selected for BIG Torino 2000, and A. semu tutti devoti tutti?, which received the Danza & Danza Prize 2010 for the best Italian production, was recently staged at the Théâtre de la Ville of Paris. Recently, the production LA NONA (from chaos, the body) received the Danza & Danza 2015 Award Italian Production of the Year.
art naming 奇能 creates and participates in projects that deal with documenting the passing of time and its endless endings, as we do as we live.
Kenji was born in 1990 in Iwate, Japan. He enrolled in the dance major at Nihon University College of Art in 2009, learning the history of modern dance and art then. At the age of 20, he created his first dance piece, and his first solo was selected for Soul International Choreography Festival 2013, which kickstarted his choreography career. He also studied at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Germany with a scholarship as an international art student in 2015. His solo dance piece THE PEELS won the first prize and the audience award at the 5.Internationales Tanz Theater Festival 2016 in Erfurt. Another solo, R, won the Best Newcomer solo prize at 10. Internationales Tanzfestival SoloDuo NRW in Köln, and the ‘Best Solo’ prize and audience award at SzólóDuó International Dance Festival 2019 in Budapest. His work has been performed in more than 35 cities in 12 countries. After graduating from Folkwang University of the Arts in 2019, he began his professional dance career at Neuer Tanz, a dance company in Düsseldorf, before he moved to Company Dinamo Danza in Spain in 2020. Since 2021, he has been an independent freelance dancer.
Seo Jeong-bin is a member of PYDANCE, a choreographer and dancer, and a researcher in dance education. She has been exposed to various genres since she was five years old, using ballet, hip-hop, and contemporary dance in efforts to present more honest choreography. She began her official choreography in 2019, winning the 'Best Picture award' at the 5th International Duet Festival Daegu with The ball, and her first solo work, There was no room for food won the Post Theatre Art Award at the 24th Changmu International Dance Arts Festival in Seoul. Currently, she is active in Daegu and Seoul as a freelance choreographer and dancer.
Pat is a performance maker whose practice centres around working on, with and about the body. Her work often looks to sport and fitness culture as a point of departure to reflect on the remnants, effects and trauma of ideology and bio-power. A Shell-NAC Arts Scholarship recipient, she trained at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (Australia) and graduated with a Bachelor of Dramatic Arts (Acting). She holds a Masters of Arts from the National Institute of Education (Singapore). Her work Pretty Things was nominated for “Production of the Year”, “Best Director” and “Best Ensemble” in Singapore for The Straits Times Life! Theatre Awards (2012). She has presented at Esplanade’s The Studios: RAW, M1 Fringe Festival, M1 CONTACT Contemporary Dance Festival, Indonesia Dance Festival and State of Motion: Rushes of Time. She was The Substation’s artist-in-residence and an associate member at Dance Nucleus, a space for independent dance makers in Singapore.
Born in 1992, Reisa Shimojima began dancing in her hometown of Kagoshima, Japan, at the age of 7. Reisa primarily performed jazz dance and traditional Japanese Yosakoi dance, and majored in contemporary dance at J.F. Oberlin University. Reisa was later featured in the works of other choreographers, such as Kuniko Kisanuki, Chieko Ito, and Ryohei Condors. Since the establishment of the KEDAGORO Dance Company in 2013, Reisa has been in charge of the choreography and production of all the works. Reisa's solo, Monkey in a Diaper premiered at the Yokohama Dance Collection, and was invited to more than 10 places in Japan and abroad. In 2018, Shimojima performed Monkey in a Diaper at the first Asian Comic Dance Festival in Hanam, and also showcased Sky at the 2019 Seoul World Dance Festival.
Moh. Hariyanto, or Hari Ghulur, born in Madura island, Indonesia. He decided to take dance as his major and earned his undergraduate degree of drama, dance, and music department in State University of Surabaya (2010). In 2011, he continued his studies in Dance Creation and Interpretation for his Masters in Indonesian Institutes of the Arts, Surakarta (ISI Surakarta) and graduated in 2013. Hari has been involved in many festivals, as well as national, regional, and international events. Hari is now a lecturer in The College of Art Wilwatikta, Surabaya. He established a dance studio named “Sawung Dance Studio” for Surabaya dancers and choreographers to work on creative process and innovative art works.
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