Dance Techniques 2010

Introduction
11
Background and starting point
The connection between practice 1 and theory 2 was discussed in various ways—
in working groups as well as during training sessions that were held in conjunction
with various German institutions as part of Tanzplan Deutschland’s
Educational Program. In the last several years, dance scholarship has been
institutionalized in German–speaking regions—driven by both historical and
theoretical knowledge—and has influenced university dance curricula. It is
time to envision new structures in which dance practitioners’ knowledge will
become more accessible and available. This publication is the result of a joint
effort by dance practitioners and scholars; it proves the quality and relevance
of practice–based research at dance departments housed in the various universities.
Practice and scholarship are given equal value.
The foundations for this project were laid by Ingo Diehl, and Friederike
Lampert joined him two years later. They embarked on a three–year project
that would involve cooperation with various consultants, 3 a DVD team, 4
dance educators, 5 dance scholars, sports’ scholars, and dance students at
the seven universities in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, England, and
Belgium. 6 Tanzplan Deutschland’s close cooperation with the public–sector
training institutions was integral to its success.
The results published in this book include the work of seven research
teams; it offers models—structured presentations—about method and craft,
theories, and artistic working processes that reflect current practices of selected
dance educators. These structured research projects are designed to
provide certain insights into the contemporary and modern dance world and,
above all, to be employed as prompts and tools (materials and methods) in
both practical and theoretical contexts. The aim is to make knowledge available
to dancers, educators, dance academics, students, and other interested
parties.
6 Participating authors: Edith Boxberger,
Gill Clarke, Franz Anton Cramer,
Anouk van Dijk, Henner Drewes,
Wiebke Dröge, Claudia Fleischle–Braun,
Yvonne Hardt, Wibke Hartewig,
Sabine Huschka, Irmela Kästner, Gisela Müller,
Vera Sander, Sylvia Scheidl, Irene Sieben,
Gerald Siegmund, Patricia Stöckemann,
Maren Witte, Gabriele Wittmann.