Danshuis Station Zuid as a Junction in the European Dancehouse Network
The mother of all European dance houses is the tanzhaus nrw in Düsseldorf, Germany. Everything related to contemporary dance has been brought under one roof here in an old tram depot that was transformed into a dance paradise 7x24 for audiences, dance professionals and amateurs. In 2005 this exciting example inspired the initiators for Danshuis Station Zuid to create a Southern Dutch junction in the growing European network of dance houses. The European Dancehouse Network (EDN) now stretches from Düsseldorf, Tilburg, London, Paris, Vienna to Oslo and Stockholm with similar dance houses and it is still continuing to grow. Various different dance houses in Eastern Europe are the new candidates.
A Network of Inspiration and Exchange
Professional dance makers, performers and related artists, as well as the countless amateur dancers involved have had a network of inspiration and exchange at their disposal since then that is unparalleled throughout the dance world. Danshuis Station Zuid, as an important factor in this phenomenal network, has been appointed and subsidised as THE centre for contemporary dance in the Dutch South by the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science; the provinces of Noord-Brabant, Limburg and Zeeland; and Tilburg City of Dance. As part of the European EDN-network, Danshuis Station Zuid benefits from the rich tradition and the many innovations in dance in all of the countries involved. Each with its own signature, these dance houses contribute to the European ‘couleur locale’ of international dance. They inspire each other, exchange their creative expertise and professionals and are increasingly producing joint productions that tour internationally.
So much more than the sum of its parts
In short, then, the EDN is so much more than the sum of its parts: it is a joint development of mutually interwoven uniqueness within the dance world. Through it, European dance from flamenco to theatrical and from modern ballet to tango finds it many contemporary forms of expression. Which inspires countless individual dance makers, influenced by each others achievements and creative growth, to come to new and unique developments that are typical for their regions in Europe.
A Completely new Breeding Ground for Talent
The South of the Netherlands is such a region, an interesting triple stream region in dance where the Northern, more academic dance meets other forms of expression in a truly unique dance vocabulary. Such as the raw theatrical dance from across the Southern borders and the confrontational, modern movements in dance from Central Europe. By taking these international inspirations on board, Danshuis Station Zuid with its partners in the Southern provinces has tapped into and cultivated a completely new breeding ground for talent.
The State of Dance in Europe
This international dance connection has already led to many choreographic exchanges. Pros have been finding residencies in other dance cities to transfer inspiration, experience local influences, and work with amateurs. We have started co-productions, such as the one between Tilburg and Düsseldorf, with joint rehearsals and international performances. Using European cultural funding we have been able to make plans for further development of our ideal, that will lead to the EDN conference ‘The State of Dance in Europe’– which will possibly be hosted by Tilburg.