Nordic Choreographic Platform (NCP)
The platform supports Nordic educational exchange and collaboration in the field of choreography. It is part of the annual studies of the master's programme in choreography. The implementation of the studies varies from year to year.
Introduction
The Danish National School of Performing Arts (DASPA) proposed a Nordic choreographic network for MA studies in 2017. The Nordic Choreographic Platform (NCP) was soon founded and established among MA Programme in Choreography at the Theatre Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki, Danish National School of Performing Arts (DASPA), Oslo National Academy of the Arts (KHIO) and Stockholm University of the Arts. The is network funded by Nordplus based on annual applications.
The platform (NCP) aims to enable an international study environment. It broadens students’ professional network of colleagues and production venues, to help the students to integrate into the field after their graduation.
Studies associated with the platform include exploring different discourses of pedagogy of choreography and artistic research. In addition to this, the students may take part in Nordic events in the field, such as festivals or seminars, and learn to understand the similarities and differences between discourses and contexts.
Past events in the platform
Context-based encounter in Helsinki 2024
Context-based encounter – an intensive course on 11.-15.11.2024
The Helsinki meeting was built around and in conjunction with the Moving in November festival. The course aimed to deepen students’ awareness of their multiple roles as audience members, choreographers, performers, peers and colleagues, and how ‘being an audience’ is constitutive of the construction of the performing arts. Ability to discuss performances critically also means to critically examine one’s own way of participating in performances, while paying attention to the context in which the performance is made (the performers) and presented (the festival).
The course included attending the festival’s performances at various venues in and around Helsinki, participation in the artist discussions (Soup Talks at the Caisa Cultural Centre), two of which were led by NCP students, student-facilitated discussions on the performances and their themes, two contextualising lectures by Miiko Toiviainen and Katalin Trensecnyi and a meeting with the festival’s curator Kerstin Shroth. Students were also able to attend morning movement practice led by Vera Nevanlinna.
The staff had their meetings focusing on the upcoming pedagogical development seminar Fostering Sustainability in Choreographic Pedagogy and shared current topics of each programme and the changes in the working and cultural environments.
Dramaturgy workshop Oslo 2024
Dramaturgy workshop and Oslo international theatre festival 11.-16.3.2024
The NCP meeting in Oslo in March 2024 consisted of two intertwined aspects for students: a dramaturgy workshop and Oslo international theatre festival.
The workshop Speculative Storytelling, by dramaturge Anders Paulin, looked into models for how to apply storytelling as a tool for production of social imaginaries. A central perspective was how to think of fiction and narrative as a means to render the present reality open for negotiation and alternative futures. The aim was to open new insights into the relationship between choreography, fiction and narrative as content and form, as well as the methodology for how to use referential systems in artistic research and how this can be applied as a basis for further independent research.
Key concepts that were focused on were for example: fiction & reality, composition & perception, language & speculation, storytelling & patterns, The double & difference, verfremdung/disruption, site & narration.
In addition to the workshop students were attending Oslo International Theatre Festival performances by e.g. WAUHAUS, Bullyache, Boglárka, Börcsök & Andreas Blom. They also were able to meet the artistic directors of Black Box Theatre Jorgen Knudsen, Dansens Hus Oslo’s Samme Raeymaekers as well as Coda Dance Festival’s Birgit Berndt.
The staff had their pedagogicl development meetings focussing on two topics: relationshiop of art and society and community responsibility in the studies and the topic of artistic productions and MA thesis in each programme.
Nordic Choreographic Platform Peer2peer Copenhagen 2023
Peer2peer sharing 25.9.-30.9.2023
The gathering focused on peer-to-peer sharings, giving the students an opportunity to gain insights into each other’s interests, methods and inspirations. The Copenhagen students facilitated the gathering and proposed three formats for sharing:
- Physical practice – slots of 45 min with 30-35 min of practice and 10-15 min reflecting/discussing.
- Presenting reference (text, artwork, film, music) – slots of 45 min. A mini lecture on an important reference in one’s work. Presenting it and describing its importance and influence in one’s work. Last 20 minutes for discussion.
- Mapping. Placing material and immaterial artefacts in the space and then guiding your peers through them using words, movement and sound to share your concerns and aesthetics. 15 minutes to present followed up in group discussions.
The staff had their pedagogical development meetings focusing on two topics: life-long learning, open university and alumni status in each university and the position and aim of history and theory studies in each programme.
Contact information for the project
-
Kirsi Monni
- Professor, Master’s Degree Programme in Choreography, Theatre Academy
- +358405456350
- kirsi.monni@uniarts.fi
Project name
Nordic Choreographic Platform
Collaborators
- Danish National School of Performing Arts (DASPA)
- Oslo National Academy of the Arts (KHIO)
- Stockholm University of the Arts
Lead organisation
University of the Arts Helsinki
Introduction
The Danish National School of Performing Arts (DASPA) proposed a Nordic choreographic network for MA studies in 2017. The Nordic Choreographic Platform (NCP) was soon founded and established among MA Programme in Choreography at the Theatre Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki, Danish National School of Performing Arts (DASPA), Oslo National Academy of the Arts (KHIO) and Stockholm University of the Arts. The is network funded by Nordplus based on annual applications.
The platform (NCP) aims to enable an international study environment. It broadens students’ professional network of colleagues and production venues, to help the students to integrate into the field after their graduation.
Studies associated with the platform include exploring different discourses of pedagogy of choreography and artistic research. In addition to this, the students may take part in Nordic events in the field, such as festivals or seminars, and learn to understand the similarities and differences between discourses and contexts.
Past events in the platform
Context-based encounter in Helsinki 2024
Context-based encounter – an intensive course on 11.-15.11.2024
The Helsinki meeting was built around and in conjunction with the Moving in November festival. The course aimed to deepen students’ awareness of their multiple roles as audience members, choreographers, performers, peers and colleagues, and how ‘being an audience’ is constitutive of the construction of the performing arts. Ability to discuss performances critically also means to critically examine one’s own way of participating in performances, while paying attention to the context in which the performance is made (the performers) and presented (the festival).
The course included attending the festival’s performances at various venues in and around Helsinki, participation in the artist discussions (Soup Talks at the Caisa Cultural Centre), two of which were led by NCP students, student-facilitated discussions on the performances and their themes, two contextualising lectures by Miiko Toiviainen and Katalin Trensecnyi and a meeting with the festival’s curator Kerstin Shroth. Students were also able to attend morning movement practice led by Vera Nevanlinna.
The staff had their meetings focusing on the upcoming pedagogical development seminar Fostering Sustainability in Choreographic Pedagogy and shared current topics of each programme and the changes in the working and cultural environments.
Dramaturgy workshop Oslo 2024
Dramaturgy workshop and Oslo international theatre festival 11.-16.3.2024
The NCP meeting in Oslo in March 2024 consisted of two intertwined aspects for students: a dramaturgy workshop and Oslo international theatre festival.
The workshop Speculative Storytelling, by dramaturge Anders Paulin, looked into models for how to apply storytelling as a tool for production of social imaginaries. A central perspective was how to think of fiction and narrative as a means to render the present reality open for negotiation and alternative futures. The aim was to open new insights into the relationship between choreography, fiction and narrative as content and form, as well as the methodology for how to use referential systems in artistic research and how this can be applied as a basis for further independent research.
Key concepts that were focused on were for example: fiction & reality, composition & perception, language & speculation, storytelling & patterns, The double & difference, verfremdung/disruption, site & narration.
In addition to the workshop students were attending Oslo International Theatre Festival performances by e.g. WAUHAUS, Bullyache, Boglárka, Börcsök & Andreas Blom. They also were able to meet the artistic directors of Black Box Theatre Jorgen Knudsen, Dansens Hus Oslo’s Samme Raeymaekers as well as Coda Dance Festival’s Birgit Berndt.
The staff had their pedagogicl development meetings focussing on two topics: relationshiop of art and society and community responsibility in the studies and the topic of artistic productions and MA thesis in each programme.
Nordic Choreographic Platform Peer2peer Copenhagen 2023
Peer2peer sharing 25.9.-30.9.2023
The gathering focused on peer-to-peer sharings, giving the students an opportunity to gain insights into each other’s interests, methods and inspirations. The Copenhagen students facilitated the gathering and proposed three formats for sharing:
- Physical practice – slots of 45 min with 30-35 min of practice and 10-15 min reflecting/discussing.
- Presenting reference (text, artwork, film, music) – slots of 45 min. A mini lecture on an important reference in one’s work. Presenting it and describing its importance and influence in one’s work. Last 20 minutes for discussion.
- Mapping. Placing material and immaterial artefacts in the space and then guiding your peers through them using words, movement and sound to share your concerns and aesthetics. 15 minutes to present followed up in group discussions.
The staff had their pedagogical development meetings focusing on two topics: life-long learning, open university and alumni status in each university and the position and aim of history and theory studies in each programme.
Contact information for the project
-
Kirsi Monni
- Professor, Master’s Degree Programme in Choreography, Theatre Academy
- +358405456350
- kirsi.monni@uniarts.fi