Read about ATYAF in todays News Paper

Read about ATYAF in todays News Paper Århus Stiftstidende here - read the translated version: 

Press for ATYAF
(translated)

”Dansere fra Mellemøsten knokler 12 timer om dagen” [Dancers from the Middle East Slog 12 Hours a Day], Aarhus Stiftstidende, 14 January 2009, page 16.
Written by Grith Jørgensen

Four young dancers from Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan get the opportunity to make their own work at Archauz in Aarhus.

AARHUS: They twist, bend, and stretch on the black dance floor of the A2 stage at Koreografisk Center Archauz. Right now, there are three dancers. But next week, the last dancer will join them, making four in all.

Four young dancers from the Middle East, who were invited for a residency at Archauz in Aarhus as part of a development initiative.

The centre’s artistic director, Jens Bjerregaard, was instrumental in selecting the four dancers at the end of his 14-day teaching residency in Beirut this past fall.

”They were ready: They have just the right potential for creating their own projects, which is why these four were chosen,” explains Jens Bjerregaard.

Archauz and its resident company, Mancopy, began this intensive and unique development initiative for young dancers from the Middle East in Beirut last year together with Maqamat Dance Theatre. The four dancers were invited to Aarhus and Archauz to create and show their new work as part of this cooperation.

”The most important element for us is that they realize their work which they can then show again when they return home,” says Jens Bjerregaard.

These young artists will be here for three weeks.  During these three weeks, they are working hard - 10-12 hours a day, 6 days a week. Only Sunday is free. Each morning, they train with Mancopy, and each afternoon they concentrate on their own pieces, which will be shown at Archauz on 21-22 January.

”Right now, we are focusing mostly on ideas. We are still experimenting. During next week, we will begin to put these ideas together to create the substance of the pieces,” explains 28-year-old Ahmed Salhi, who is from Jordan.

The two others on the A2 stage are 19-year-old Amal Khatib, from Palestine, and 25-year-old Lisa Chehade, who is Palestinian refugee living in Lebanon. The fourth participant, Geoliane Arab from Lebanon, will first join the three others next week.

”They have an incredible drive. To be a dancer in the Middle East at their level requires a very strong ambition. It is not something one just tries for the fun of it. One can easily sense their drive when teaching them,” says Jens Bjerregaard.

It’s Cold!
The entire initiative began when Mancopy toured the Middle East in spring 2009. The teaching in Beirut last fall followed, and now the four dancers are here in residence at Archauz.

”It is fanstastic to meet and work with different people. They often have other approaches to and ways of seeing dance and that can be very inspiring. It forces me to change the way I usually think about dance,” says Lisa Chehade.

But it is also a challenge to come to a strange land far away from the exotic atmosphere of home.

”The weather! It is really, really cold. I am not used to it. And it is a bit of a problem when we take breaks from our work and would like to go out just for a little fresh air. Our bodies and muscles so quickly become cold again,” says Amal Khatib.

The entire development project is supported by the Danish Center for Culture and Development and the DÉPARTS–artist in residence programme.

The four dancers’ works will also be shown at the BiPod Festival in Beirut in April 2010.

Caption to the photo:
Lisa Chehade can be seen again at next year’s Aarhus Festival, when she will perform at Archauz. The skeleton was found in Archauz’ archives, but it might not be part of the final showing. Photo: Kim Haugaard.

Right side column:
The works of the four Middle East choreographers will be presented under the collective title Atyaf, which means ghost or mirage.

Atyaf kan be seen at Archauz’ A1 stage 21-22 January, at 8pm.

The four choreographers are:
Amal Khatib, Palestine
Lisa Chehade, Palestinian refugee living in Lebanon
Ahmad Salhi, Jordan
Geoliane Arab, Lebanon