Fine 5 Dance Theatre - Out in the open: 20 years of independent dance in the Baltics

International conference "Out in the open: 20 years of independent dancein the Baltics" was held June 10-12, 2012 at Tallinn University Institute of Fine Arts (Lai street 13) and Theatre NO99.

The conference gives an overview about development of contemporary dance as an art form, independent from the institutional theatre, in the Baltics and St. Petersburg, focusing on the intense period in the beginning of 1990s and creating cultural bridges with the present.

The topics are: overview of those, who shaped the contemporary dance field and of the activities of freelance groups; actions of administrative organizations; influence on drama theatre, on academic ballet theatre, on hobby dance and on folk dance. The reports and discussions of both Estonian and foreign experts focus on the key persons and development factors of independent dance as part of cultural picture of Baltics and St. Petersburg. The keynote speakers of the conference are Vita Mozuraite (Vilnius), Vadim Kasparov (St.Petersburg),Inta Spaile (Riga), Saima Kraning (Helsinki), Heili Einasto (Tallinn),Evelin Lagle (Tallinn). Conference presentations are free of charge, pre-registration laura.kvelstein@tlu.ee. Place: Tallinn University Institute of Fine Arts (Lai street 13)

Live performance program at conference evenings includes Sasha Kukin Dance Theatre from St. Petersburg, Olga Zhitluhina Dance Company from Riga, Vytis Jankauskas Company from Vilnius and Fine5 Dance Theatre from Tallinn. Students of Tallinn University choreography department will perform Fine5 Dance Theatres production "Sacred Spring", specially recreated (original version premiered in 2003) for this event. Fine5 Dance Theatre celebrates its 20th anniversary with new premiere "Mandala"- the piece where the focus of dance and dancers is on its ephemeral subject - appearance and disappearance of images. USA based Estonian choreographer/dancer Marika Blossfeldt, who was first one in early 90-ties to introduce American post-modern dance to Estonia, is making long-waited comeback with special performance.

Performances

June 10th at 19.00: "Sacred Spring" students of TLU, "Mandala" Fine5 Dance Theatre (Estonia)

June 11th at 19.00: "Dances of The Lost" Olga Zhitluhina Dance Company (Latvia), "Vigil" Vytis Jankauskas Dance Company (Lithuania)

June 12th at 19.00: "Possession", Sasha Kukin Dance Theatre (Petersburg), Marika Blossfeldt.

Presentations

"The beginning of a new path: explosion and path dependency in Estonian contemporary dance" – Heili Einasto

"Influences from contemporary dance onto the Estonia Theatre Ballet" – Külli Roosna, Irina Pähn

"Contemporary dance affecting Estonian folk dance on stage" – Mall Järvela

" The influence of contemporary dance on the creation of "free dance" category at the Koolitants festival" - Kristjan Rohioja, Siim Tõniste

"Looking at dance before the 1990s -- Reet Kudus perspective“ – Liina Lillipuu, Sveta Grigorjeva, Irina Krotova

"Contemporary dance style sneaking onto the landscape of Estonian dance education" - Evelin Lagle

"Fine 5 Dance Theatre - 20 years of freelance dance company in the Estonian theatre landscape" – Tiina Ollesk ja Rene Nõmmik

"The formation of new institutions -- TIKE and Teine Tants". Conversation with Priit Raud and Heili Einasto moderated by Evelin Lagle

"The Story of the first Estonian Dance Theatre". Conversation with Saima Kranig, the artistic director of the Nord Star Dance Theatre, led by Tiina Ollesk and Rene Nõmmik

"Contemp-this is cool!" Logical and paradoxical destinies of contemporary dance in Latvia from 1992 till 2012 - Inta Balode

"Radical changes in Lithuanian dance in the 1990s" - Vita Mozuraite

"St Petersburg - contemporary dance in the middle of dance traditions" – Lev Shulman

"Marika Blossfeldt: divided time between Estonia and New York. Reflections to 90ties choreography" - Conversation with Marika Blossfeldt

The conference was organized by the Choreography Department of the Institute of Fine Arts of Tallinn University in cooperation with Fine 5 Dance Theatre.

Supported by: the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.