At ESRA University in Skopje an International Conference on “Modern Dance (Culture) as Factor of Social Transformation” was held from the 2nd until the 4th of December. The purpose of the conference is to present the current condition and the development of contemporary dance through performances delivered by different participants. The conference includes debates, workshops and screening of dance films. Risima Risimkin, manager of Interart organized the International Conference on Modern Dance with support of the Embassy of the Netherlands.

Rector of ESRA Mr. Jordan Plevnes and Deputy Head of Mission of the Dutch Embassy Mr. Gert Kampman opened the conference at the ESRA University on the 2nd of December. Mr. Kampman stated: “Dance, and contemporary art in general, can be the locomotive that pulls the society forward. It does not recognise the limitations of space and time. It does not let the audience sit back and doze off. It creates shocks and shortcuts. It derails.”

Referring to the historical background of dance as a universal cultural category, Mr. Plevnes stated that “Macedonia can once again use its inexhaustible heritage nobody cares about and become, in these post-modern times, a super-power of dance that transforms history, hoping that what cannot be retold, can be danced, instead, since the planet itself, even hanging on nothing, does not stop dancing and spinning around its imagined axis.”

On Wednesday, 2 December Guy Sonen from the Netherlands gave a workshop on Laban technique and the choreography “Parts” by Risima Risimkin was performed. The Embassy had previously also cooperated with the Interart Culture Centre for the Dance Fest, the first time hosting a performance of Gallili Dance Group and the second time a performance of the Rotterdam Dance Academy.

At the kick-off of the International Conference Risima Risimkin announced the opening of a Contemporary Dance Academy at ESRA University in partnership with the Rotterdam Dance Academy which is expected to become the center for modern dance in the South East European region after opening in 2010.

Contemporary dance has been a main Dutch export product in the area of culture and The Netherlands serve as an operation base for many international artists. The internationally famous Rotterdam Dance Academy and the 50th anniversary of the Netherlands Dance Theatre show a long Dutch history with dance, but also nowadays some of the best known choreographers come from Holland such as Hans van Manen and Jiri Kylian.

The Embassy of the Netherlands funded this International Conference through the Culture and Development programme. The conference intended to for the first time present and discuss the contemporary dance theme as a transformation force in society. Three Dutch persons participated in the event: Guy Sonnen on Laban Techniqu, Sara Erense on contemporary technique and Shusaku Takeuchi on theatre/contemporary technique. Guests at the conference were opinion makers in the area of culture such as university professors, journalists and artists.