Guiding principles

Dance Gate Lefkosia (Cyprus) is a non-profit organization that actively promotes and supports the development of dance as a contemporary and interactive art forms working closely within the vision and framework of the dancehouse model drafted by the European Dance House Network. Dance Gate Lefkosia Cyprus is one of the founding members and active participant at the Dance House Lefkosia since its creation in 2013. Dance Gate Lefkosia is happy to announce that since December 2020 Dance House Lefkosia consists now of five member organizations to constitute the L_DH Dancehouse Lefkosia.

Due to Cyprus’ geopolitical position as a European country on the furthest of South Eastern Europe, Dance Gate’s particular vision and aim is to promote dance and culture at the crossroads of cultures and between three continents, Nicosia still remaining the only divided capital of Europe.

Dance Gate Lefkosia Cyprus strategies are threefold:

  • The enhancement of creativity and the promotion of young and more established choreographers, giving opportunities for dance research within the fluid borders with the other performance arts so as to redefine and expand the choreographic field on the island.
  • The mobilization of political power for the necessary infrastructures to support dance and dance artists from both sides of the buffer zone.
  • The creation of the necessary artistic and theoretical support for the dance to grow in multitude ways at the crossroads of cultures within the wider contemporary arts context, through festivals, research, seminars, lectures, conferences, publications, exchanges and a growing network.

History

Since its foundation in 2007, Dance Gate has organized numerous workshops and performances with guests such as Julyen Hamilton, Henrietta Horn, Eduardo Fukushima, Sofia Mavragani, Mafalda Deville, Alexandra Waierstall, and yearly conferences on the Dynamics and Prospects of Contemporary Dance with international renowned speakers. Important audience development project has also been the BODY & SOLI – a presentation of  8 invited Cypriot choreographers to share their working processes mentored by the invited guest dance artist Angus Balbernie, UK.

From 2010 to 2014 it was partner of the EU funded project modul-dance bringing to Nicosia important events film screenings, residencies, performances and Carte Blanche with artists such as Nuria Font, Fearghus O’ Conchúir, Jurij Konjar, Alexandra Waierstrall, Arno Schuitemaker, Lilly Mihajlović and Jasmina Krizaj (SI) & Cristina Planas Leitão, amongst others. Within modul-dance, Dance Gate also organised the conference Dance/Body at the Crossroads of Cultures, with keynote speakers Rustom Barucha, Guy Cools with consultant Dorinda Hulton and numerous guests performers and presenters from all over the world.

In 2017 Dance Gate hosted a ten-day hands-on EDN Atelier "Nature Embodied" concerning the theme of ecology and the arts with gues speakers Denise Kenney and Nancy Holmes. 

ON _ BODIES / NO _ BODY Festival

Dance Gate Lefkosia has been running a yearly festival the first Dance and Performance Arts festival “No _ Body Fest” 2008 – 2020 . Now the festival is renewing with a new title : ON _ BODIES Dance / Movement & Performance Arts Festival and shall be now under the umbrella and organization of DanceHouse Lefkosia that Dance Gate is a founding member organization of, as from 2021.

Building and facilities

The venue has been given by the Ministry of Education and Culture and the building belongs to the Municipality of Nicosia and was to conceded to the Ministry of Education after the efforts of the dance community of Nicosia.

The building of the Dance House Lefkosia used to be the old food market of Ayios Andreas in Nicosia, purpose-built in the mid-40s during the British occupation.

In 2013, after the necessary renovations, the building has been conceded to the non-profit organization L_DH Dancehouse Lefkosia by the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education and Culture in collaboration with the Municipality of Nicosia for the support of dance and its development in Nicosia and on the island on a local and international level.

Contact
25 Parthenonos Str.
1105
Lefkosia
Cyprus
www.dancehouselefkosia.com
dance.gate.lefk.cy@gmail.com

News from Dance Gate Lefkosia

1 September 2022

EDN's Cyprus member with new projects.

Dance Gate Lefkosia current and future activities for local and international dance field professionals.

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Reports from EDN Activities

Read, listen and watch reports from EDN activities in 2022.

Commissioned researchers and experts reported in great detail on EDN activities. Here you can find all reports of seven EDN activities in 2022.

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Perform Europe's Documentary Published

20 October 2022

The documentary was shot in June 2022 during the Perform Europe’s Impact Event.

With contributions from 19 Perform Europe's partnerships, consortium and jury members, the consortium consisted of IETM - International network for contemporary performing arts, the European Festivals Association (EFA), Circostrada Network, European Dancehouse Network and IDEA Consult created the Perform Europe’s Documentary, which aims to reflect and unravel the impact that taking part in the Perform Europe pilot had on the partnerships and the communities to which they toured, as well as look behind the scenes at the Perform Europe journey and selection process.

 

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EDN Activities in 2023

February - May 2023

The European Dancehouse Network presents its activities in 2023.

The European Dancehouse Network continues its EU-funded EDNext 2022-2024 programme with the theme of equity explored through activities co-organised and hosted by EDN members in 2023.

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EDN Conference 2022: a Short Summary

14 November 2022

More than 400 registered participants from 49 different countries worldwide.

EDN's annual online conference brought together artists, dance practitioners and researchers to discuss environmental sustainability in the context of contemporary dance.

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EDN Releases the Publication "Environmental Sustainability in Contemporary Dance: Emerging Issues, Practices and Recommendations."

15 November 2022

Commissioned research publication examines the relationship between environmental sustainability and contemporary dance, with a particular focus on the role of dance production centres.

The publication provides the context, references and examples of where and how dance intersects with environmental sustainability, and which set of actions can lead to effective action. Both executive summary and full publication are available for download.

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EDN Campaign 2022 Final Document Released

15 November 2022

Endorsed by all of its 48 members from 28 European countries, the European Dancehose Network releases the EDN Campaign 2022 document.

EDN campaign presents concrete actions and ideas to engage the contemporary dance sector in Europe, its advocates, funders and stakeholders, in a shared movement towards a sustainable future.

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Creative Europe Opens Call for Cooperation Projects

17 November 2022 - 23 February 2023

Application deadline is 23 February 2023.

The call will support projects to carry out a broad spectrum of activities and initiatives involving artists and stakeholders active in different cultural and creative sectors.

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Activities EDN
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Akamas

The natural environment –as a vital space for survival, for man’s spiritual development and creation– is an inextricable part of culture. As part of the programme of Paphos 2017 European Capital of Culture, Dance Gate Lefkosia organised a workshop and an atelier to research ecological art methodologies as they pertain to a particular contested site located on the Akamas Peninsula.

Summary list

Modul-dance

Modul-dance was a multi-annual cooperation project with the participation of 20 European dance houses from 16 countries. Its main aim was to support development, mobility and exchange for dance artists.

Summary list

Outreach Lebanon

A delegation of six EDN members attended Moultaqa Leymoun, the Arab Dance Platform organised by Maqamat Theatre in Beirut and the Chouf Mountains during BIPOD 2016. The 5th edition of this platform showcased and promoted the work of 20 Arab choreographers from Lebanon, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine and Iran.

Arianna Economou, director of Dance Gate Lefkosia, shares her experience of this visit.

Summary list

EDN Atelier: Moving Ground

The EDN Atelier was held in Athens on June 1-2, 2022, co-organised and hosted by Duncan Dance Research Center. Atelier was open to EDN members and others.

Summary list