Discussion:
Experiences of kinesthetic empathy and dance
Sat 17.3.2023 at 16.30
Duration ca. 90 min
Language: English
Cirko – Center for New Circus, Maneesi
Kaasutehtaankatu 1, Helsinki
Free entry
The theme of the discussion is to articulate the experiences and views of dance practitioners about kinesthetic empathy. Researcher Jaana Parviainen discusses this topic in her article Kinesthetic empathy (2002). According to Parviainen, "empathy is above all about what and how we can know about another's experience."
The participants of the discussion are Silke Z., Mary Prestidge, Katja Kirsi and Liisa Pentti. The aim of the discussion is to have a dialogue and share experiences of working with and reflecting on the meanings and possibilities of kinesthetic empathy in this virtual post-pandemic era. Is empathy always a positive phenomenon and how do we relate to kinesthetic empathy between machines and humans? Is empathy only a human-centred ability?
Welcome to join us at Cirko to reflect.
Mary Prestidge
Mary’s professional dance career has spanned 6 decades. Her first dance work was with Ballet Rambert in the early 1970’s.
It was during a study period in New York in 1974 that Mary first met Ulla Koivisto. Mary made frequent visits to Finland during the 1980’s teaching at the Theatre School, Helsinki as well as offering workshops in New Dance (principally Contact Improvisation) to dance professionals and the growing independent dance and artist community there.
Back in London after New York Mary and other dance artists co-founded X6 Dance Space 1976-1979 and its successor Chisenhale Dance. These artist led initiatives created a much desired and needed context for research into new dance forms and new ways of presenting work.
Based in Liverpool since 1995 Mary was key in the development of a dance programme at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA). Since 2008 she and three other Liverpool dance artists founded a small studio, LIC (Liverpool Improvisation Collective) Studio. As a group they continue to develop strategies and contexts for performance and artist exchange within the region and beyond. Individually they share and facilitate dance and performance in diverse settings and communities.
Silke Z.
Silke Z. is artistic director of the company Silke Z. resistdance and the transgenerational ensemble die metabolisten in Cologne. She develops and programs dance and performance in Germany and abroad. Silke Z. directs the ehrenfeldstudios, a transgenerational and interdisciplinary production and work space for independent dance in Cologne.
Silke Z.'s work is a constantly changing, transdisciplinary space of thought and action - with a focus on dance and performance, she observes people, society(s) and both their shifts and movement processes . The collaboration of different artists, dancers, thinkers, producers, acquisition and office staff allows for a heterogeneous examination of social and individual movements from different perspectives. In 2020 she started the multi-year project "The Empathic Body" which includes stage productions, installative and participatory performance projects, dance films, research and mediation formats for all generations.
Katja Kirsi
Katja Kirsi is the Managing Director of Reality Research Center. She has studied Arts Education and Dance at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland and De Montfort University, UK. She is a community dance leader, and she has a diploma in vocational teacher education. Katja was for a long time in charge of outreach program of Zodiak - Center for New Dance. She was awarded with the Finnish State Prize for Dance in 2015.
Liisa Pentti
Liisa Pentti is a trailblazer of Finnish dance. She graduated as a dance artist at the Amsterdam Academy of Theatre and Dance’s Modern Dance department (SNDO) in 1986, and was one of the postmodern dance artists shaking the Finnish dance and cultural scenes in the 80’s. In addition to her own artistic work, she was one of the central figures of Zodiak Presents Assoc. and Zodiak – Center for New Dance from 1987 to 2011, and tirelessly paved the way for new kinds of dance and art
Pentti has taught a group consisting of youths on the autism spectrum since 2015. The group has put on two performances, shown at the Zodiak Stage in 2018 and 2021. Liisa Pentti continuously works as a teacher, dancer and choreographer both in Finland and internationally. She has written many articles and other texts on dance, its subject matter and its place in the world.
The discussion is a part of the SpaceP_EBody event.
Photos: Brian Roberts, Beppo Leichenich, Iiro Rautiainen, Petteri Enroth