Rediscovering Ancestral Movement

The Bookshop offers a stage for stories that connect, deepen and challenge. Inspired by the history of our building as a meeting place for diverse communities, this intimate space invites reflection. During 'Rediscovering Ancestral Movement' they explore the role of black identity in European dance heritage and the power of physicality as a carrier of culture and history.

Rediscovering Ancestral Movement

Location

Internationaal Theater Amsterdam (ITA)

Leidseplein 26

1017 PT Amsterdam

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Program December 18

Rediscovering Ancestral Movement: keynote Thomas Prestø + Panel

In early European research articles, Black bodies and dance are often criminalized and labeled as evil by the Christian church. The panel discussion will focus on the handling of colonial histories, knowledge systems and interpretations of African people and the diaspora. Traces of this past can still be felt in current European dance research and dance education.

On Wednesday 18 December, Thomas Prestø will give a keynote on African dance and cultural education, in which he will discuss the Talawa Technique he developed. This method is intended to master a foundation of techniques that are applicable to African and Afro-diasporic dance styles, just as ballet is often taught in the West as a basic technique to create a well-functioning dance body.

Rediscovering Ancestral Movements is a project by The Need for Legacy (NL) in collaboration with Zinnema (BE) and Tabanka Dance Ensemble (NO). In addition to working towards an inclusive theatre history, The Need for Legacy develops projects such as Rediscovering Ancestral Movements, with which they actively contribute to diversity and inclusivity in the Dutch performing arts. As an organisation, they recognise that histories not only shape the present, but also continue to shape the future. Providing a stage for alternative narratives is essential, both to close gaps in existing archives, to explore new forms of archiving – such as the body as a living carrier of heritage – and to bring to life legacies that would otherwise remain invisible.

Program December 20

Rediscovering Ancestral Movement: showcase + aftertalk

On December 20, 20 dancers from the residency Rediscovering Ancestral Movements, under the guidance of choreographer Thomas Prestø, will open the ancestral library of the Black body.

During this program, the residency participants will present their immersion in ancestral dance practices to the public with a showcase. Following this, they will engage in a conversation about their experience, addressing questions such as: What does the dance world look like when non-Western education is centralized? How will our view of art change as we learn more about the philosophies of our ancestors? And what does this residency mean for future international collaborations?

Rediscovering Ancestral Movements is a project by The Need for Legacy (NL) in collaboration with Zinnema (BE) and Tabanka Dance Ensemble (NO). In addition to working towards an inclusive theatre history, The Need for Legacy develops projects such as Rediscovering Ancestral Movements , with which they actively contribute to diversity and inclusivity in the Dutch performing arts. As an organisation, they recognise that histories not only shape the present, but also continue to shape the future. Providing a platform for alternative narratives is essential, both to close gaps in existing archives, to explore new forms of archiving – such as the body as a living carrier of heritage – and to bring to life legacies that would otherwise remain invisible.