Tallinn University BFM lecturers Tiina Ollesk and Renee Nõmmik and master's students in choreography leaded May 9th-13th in Riga through a co-operation project between the Latvian Academy of Culture (LAC) and the TU BFM. Within the framework of the project, students of the Estonian choreography curriculum Aneta Varts, Birgit Orulaid, Sandra Põld and David Truusa worked with students of the Latvian contemporary dance curriculum, creating as a result of week-long work process a performance for 12 Latvian dancers. Those well-matched separate parts were created used different composition techniques and students' individual movement research. The cooperation project took place within the framework of the subject Creative Process II, which was supervised by Renee Nõmmik. Tiina Ollesk gave Latvian students lessons in contemporary dance techniques and also co-supervised the students' work. In addition to the creative process, our students participated in a contact improvisation workshop led by LAC lecturer Ilze Zirina.
The intensive work process taught to young choreographers how to create a short performance together and how to do it in a professional work environment with limited time resources. The work in Latvia was preceded thorough preparation at home, in order to convey ideas clearly and fully in an unfamiliar environment and cultural space. This process required good teamwork, planning and organization, and shared responsibility from each participant.
Maturity and confidence - these are the hallmarks of our students' work. Based on the feedback from the Latvian students, they liked that the guest choreographers were their peers, and the Latvian students also emphasized that it was instructive for them to follow the work methods and precise work planning of our students.
