Feet. They are good for standing up, for moving, and most certainly, for dancing. But why do we dance? This exhibition explores the idea of dance as a two way conversation that engages our senses and makes us aware of our body in space, and most importantly, in relation to others.
Dance has come a long way in the history of humankind, and it has always been close to art. However, it was not until the mid- 20th century that the line between one and the other became increasingly blurred. Dance as a discipline was radically redefined by dancers such as Isadora Dun- can, Martha Graham and Pina Bausch —to name a few of the most important ones— who understood the discipline as a vehicle for expressing the soul, instead of a means for mere entertainment.
The new style of dance they created, known in a very general way as “contemporary dance”, gave priority to the expressive elements over the na- rrative: instead of focusing on the technique or the story, they included gestures and movements of the everyday life in order to achieve more expression. The bodies of the dancers became the artistic material and the entity that generated and at the same time endured the experience of time, movement and interaction. It also became the very place where the personal and the political were challenged.
Influenced or coming from the tradition of contemporary dance, the four projects that make up the exhibition Why we dance, explore topics of identity, resistance, public space, the gaze, movement... and ultimately pose the question “What does it mean to exist as a body in this world?”
To answer the question, the works in the exhibition act as a conversation of many levels, one that happens between the bodies of the dancers in each video, between the videos in the exhibition space, and between the dancers and the audience. In the exhibition dance enters the space of the visual arts, and becomes a necessary expression that allows every visitor to explore their own existence in this world, by feeling and moving their body.
Why we dance is a one day event featuring the works of artists Seline Baumgartner (CH), Asphalt Piloten (CH), Las Ramonas (MEX - UK) and Irene Cantero (ES), the last two responsible for live dance performances which will occur during the exhibition. Prior to the show, Liliana Torres (MEX) will offer a workshop to explore dance as a way of interaction.
Allowing visitors a first-hand experience of the liberating effects of dance, the evening will develop into a party, starting with a live music perfor- mance by Pascal Sidler (CH) and followed by two Dj sets by Violenta (MEX) and Revillo (CH). The musical stage will be framed by a light artwork by Angela Baumgartner (CH), a perfect scenario for everyone to dance as if there was no tomorrow.