In several ARTIST LABs, the Berlin-based Ag Tanz und Elternschaft (Dance and Parenthood Working) exchanges ideas with other (inter)national initiatives and artists from dance and other art disciplines on the topic of dance/art and parenthood with the following core questions:
17.6. Lab with artists from other art disciplines 8.7. online Lab with international dance artists 9.7. Lab with nationwide initiatives and individual artists 24.08. final lab of the Ag Dance and ParenthoodWhat (artistic) perspectives do dance artists in parenthood develop during the pandemic? How can central structures (funding, theaters, venues for training and residencies) in the dance scene be made more accessible to them and new networks be established?
German sign language: Athina Lange
Video: Mayra Wallraff
In the fourth Lab we discuss the results of the previous meetings, summarize and develop a manifesto on the issues:
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What do artist parents need?
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How do we want to work in the future?
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What demands do we make to cultural politics?
Exchange meeting with nationwide initiatives and individual artists
For our first nationwide exchange and networking meeting on the topic of dance/art and parenthood on July 9, 2022 in the Artist Lab project “Mit Kind: Tanzkünstlerinnen zwischen Beruf und Abstellgleis” we invited guest artists from the dance scene who have founded similar initiatives themselves, are involved in them, and individual artists who have actively worked or researched on the topic, especially during the pandemic. In our search for such initiatives on the web, we did not find them in all federal states.
Invited Artists: Susie Burpee (Canada) Kimberley de Jong (Canada) Julie Lebel (Canada) Ana Maria Hedman (Sweden) Renata Piotrowska-Affret (Polen) Macarena Campbell (Chile) Krõõt Juurak (Austria) Aranyani Bhargav (India) Faye Lim (Singapore) Lucy McCrudden (England)
We had invited the collective “Maternal Fantasies” to our first LAB, with the focus on other art genres. The collective is an interdisciplinary group of international female artists and cultural producers based in Berlin. Currently it consists of 7 artist mothers and their total of 10 children and 2 babies.
Since none of the collective had time for our LAB appointment, I met Maicyra Leao, from “Maternal Fantasies” for an interview and talked to her about the core issues of the LAB`s:
Daniella Strasfogel is a violinist, performer and teacher.
In this interview, Daniella talks about her strategies and artistic practices in Pandemic. In order to convey art not only digitally, she published a book combining dance and music as well as a puzzle together with dance and music.
Interdisciplinary art exchange meeting with nationwide initiatives and individual artists
Lightning blue sky over Berlin already as I leave the house at 8:15. I am happy to have booked the lake studios for the Artist LAB, with the beautiful garden and the Müggelsee within walking distance. In the S-Bahn it is quite hot with baby in the carrier on my belly. Already I get the first messages from my colleagues Saskia Oitmann, Jenny Haack and Raisa Kröger from the organizing team: “S-Bahn shuttle service due to technical problems.” Alright. “Which station are you stuck at? Who will make it on time? Have you already taken your children to the kindergarten and school?”. Opera singer and co-founder of the initiative “Bühnenmütter” Annika Mendrala and director and performer Liz Rech were also planning to leave Hamburg after dropping their kids off at daycare. And already we are in the middle of the topic.
Work in relation to art and parenthood.
Useful information for (artist)parents and further links nationwide and internationally
We, the Ag Tanz und Elternschaft (Dance and Parenthood), are an association / initiative of Berlin dance artists with the goal of improving the working conditions of dance professionals in parenthood. Founded in ZTB (Zeitgenössischer Tanz Berlin) e.V. in November 2020, we work self-organized and on a voluntary basis. We meet once a month online, since summer 2022 also in presence/live.
