TDT hosts German artists

From May 21st through 30th, Toronto Dance Theatre (TDT) hosted a number of events and discussions around presentations of new works for TDT by guest choreographers from Germany, Christoph Winkler and Felix Marchand. German dramaturge and dance scholar Susanne Foellmer gave several lectures throughout the week and the choreographers also offered workshops. On Monday May 18th, Foellmer facilitated a discussion on dramaturgy-of-the-body including Winkler, Marchand, TDT Artistic Director Christopher House, Toronto choreographer and Artistic Director of Public Recordings Ame Henderson, Dancemakers Artistic Director Michael Trent, Dancemakers dramaturge and theatre director Jacob Zimmer and Montréal-based dramaturge Guy Cools. The discussion considered the use of the term “dramaturgy” and the role of a dramaturge in a dance context. From the panellists’ comments, it was apparent that the dance dramaturge’s role is variable and usually very specific to the choreographer and his or her working process. Questions of power, leadership, listening and bodily engagement in the work were addressed. There was a sense of consensus about the dramaturge functioning as a kind of facilitator for the artwork. The week of ancillary events was supported in part by the Goethe-Institut Toronto and the Canadian Embassy in Berlin.