Biennale College Danza 2020

Biennale College-Dance dedicates a specific section to the art of choreography and offers new choreographers, ages 32 and under, the opportunity to create an original 20-minute work. The selection will designate up to 3 choreographers, who have presented at least one original creation in public and who have already undertaken a professional career.

The 3 selected choreographers will be involved from May 4^th to June 14^th 2020, and from May 4^th to June 14^th 2020 will work with 7 professional dancers for a period of 6 weeks, ending with a public performance of each of the 3 original creations during a single event as part of the 14^th International Festival of Contemporary Dance of La Biennale di Venezia.

During the elaboration, development and production of their creations, the 3 selected choreographers will be supported by the following experts: an expert in Merce Cunningham’s composition method, a dramaturg, a coach in choreography, a light designer and a director specialized in set design.

The project will take place from May 4^th to June 14^th 2020, with scheduled activities five days per week.
The Biennale di Venezia reserves the right to modify the work schedule at any time during the project.
The 3 choreographers will be engaged in the development of a low-budget, free creation, following the study of Merce Cunningham's composition method, which will help them understand the mechanisms of the Artist's composition and ideation, and will serve as input for them to develop their own thinking, not as an aesthetic model.

The programme is structured as follows:
• a first one-week session with Douglas Dunn, an expert in Merce Cunningham's methodology and repertory;
• six weeks dedicated to choreographic creation during which the 3 choreographers will work on their own experimentation with 7 professional dancers; in this phase, they will be supported:
- for two non-consecutive weeks by a dramaturg: Guy Cools
- for one week by the coach in choreography Danièle Desnoyers, who will serve as an "independent eye" on the work that is being created
- for an entire two days in the theatre to explore the technical aspects of staging with Simone Derai, a director and expert in set design, and with Sander Loonen, light designer.

During the process, the 3 choreographers will participate in one/two OPEN days in which they will present the work-in-progress of their creations and in an outdoor performance.
The last week will be dedicated to the rehearsals for the public presentation of their creations, which will take place as a single event of the 14^th International Festival of Contemporary Dance of La Biennale di Venezia.

Selection and announcement
The selection is open to participants from all over the world.

The application deadline is January 23^rd 2020

The selection will be made at the complete discretion of the Director of the Dance Department of the Biennale di Venezia Marie Chouinard, and will be announced approximatively in mid-February 2020.

Attendance is mandatory for participation in the project.
The selected participants may stay in a shared apartment arranged for them by La Biennale di Venezia.
The participants must pay for their own travel, food and local transportation expenses.
Each selected applicant will be required to pay a registration fee in the amount of € 80.00 (VAT included, non-refundable) to be paid exclusively by credit card following the announcement of their acceptance, and no later than the date that will be specified in due time.

PARTICIPATION PROCEDURE
Documentation
Participants must first register filling in the online form and submit the following documentation:
1. Curriculum Vitae (max. 1000 characters) and two photographs (half bust and full figure)
2. A letter of motivation for participation in the College – Choreographers’ section, explaining the motivations that led to their decision to become a choreographer
3. Two reference letters
4. Full length Videos (minimum 1/max 3) (with a link for viewing) of choreographic works by the choreographer.

Application deadline: January 23^rd 2020.