Léim Project Module A draws to a close: Gathering ideas and making plans
Author Eleanor Creighton
Five months has passed since the ten of us met for the first time in sunny Dublin. In that time during our four meetings together in Dublin, Bassano del Grappa, Düsseldorf and Barcelona, we have shared the different experiences, knowledge, tools and insights that we each bring to the Léim project. This has provoked lively discussions and we’ve all had occasion to think afresh about how we approach what we’re doing.
With each residency we gained practical knowledge in particular areas of cultural management. More importantly, we also gained insights into the nature of each city’s dance scene and the working relationships between the public and private organisations involved in making projects happen there. Being parachuted into the modul-dance conference in Düsseldorf also gave us the chance to get a sense of the opportunities and challenges that exist (for artists and dance houses alike) when working within a large and complex network like the European Dancehouse Network.
Our group is a forward looking bunch – we are all adapting to new situations in our own working lives and this is having a direct impact on how we approach Léim. It’s an opportunity to try a new way of working together to achieve our goal: to bring a dance project to life that engages artists and audiences alike in ways that might just surprise them.
Of course, we don’t quite know what that is… yet. But we’re working on it! The beauty – and challenge – of Léim is that working out how to achieve our goal is very much part of the project. We’re eager to apply the practical skills we’ve learned and the best-practice models we’ve been introduced to (especially the super-fancy budgeting skills we swotted up on in Barcelona). We have more to learn during Module B, when we will each undertake focused work placements in the partner dance houses. The insights we’ve gained from each residency have given us a context in which to act and a sense of purpose to guide our project ideas. And there’s nothing like a self-imposed deadline to lend urgency to creative brainstorming!
The next couple of months will be busy in the background as we conjure and construct from the seeds of ideas sown in our minds since July. Léim is about to burst into life.