TABI
TABI is a dance-research-project designed by Léim participants Valentina Nicoli (IT) and Maria Kirchhoff (DE), in collaboration with Béla Bisom (DE). Under the artistic direction of choreographer Takao Baba – assisted by Rayboom and Kofie – Tanzhaus nrw’s youth dance company Back to Basics (B2B) engaged with Japanese old traditions and contemporary practices, by meeting and exchanging with the Japanese community based in Düsseldorf. This intensive intercultural exchange led to the creation of a short dance piece, which was later presented to the public on the 12th April 2015.
The project consisted of two parts: the first one saw the young people meeting the Japanese community in Düsseldorf and engaging in a series of workshops and exchanges. This was possible thanks to the collaboration of Japanische Club Düsseldorf, Eko Haus and Kultur und Informationsbüro des Japanischen Generalkonsulats. The second part took place in Tanzhaus nrw, where the young dancers and choreographer Takao Baba worked on the development of a dance piece integrating into the artistic process the cultural material gathered.
Takao Baba is a Japanese urban dance, teacher and choreographer based in Düsseldorf. His life between two cultures is at the centre of his work, which combines hip-hop with contemporary dance.
Back To Basics is a youth dance company established at tanzhaus nrw in late 2014. The young dancers, between the age of 12 and 18, started their daily training in October 2014 with two hip-hop dancers, Kofie and Rayboom. The young dancers are also constantly involved in workshops with local and international choreographers invited by tanzhaus nrw.
Léim Team: Valentina Nicoli (Italy) and Maria Kirchhoff (Germany), Béla Bisom (DE)
Hosting Partner: Tanzhaus nrw (DE)
Mentor: Theresa Beattie
Choreographer: Takao Baba
B2B: Company management: Kofie und Rayboom; Dance: Irina Aksenova, Amalia Bachmann, Lena Daniluk, Jona Obinna Ejike, Ron Engels, Caroline Fahr, Miriam Amina Fofana, Mahmut Günes, Jessica Jasinouski, Dina Massonda, Laulinda Massona, Pilar Monteiro, Jacqueline Neuenhausen, Dogukan Özveren, Melena Tortoh, Amina Vormann.
Public presentation: 12.04.2015, 6pm and 7pm @ Tanzhaus nrw.
