practices of connection: informal and formal international networks

This session is the first out of three public input sessions within the frame of the digital companionship programme: transnational contexts & relations, that is organised and hosted by Kreativ-Transfer, a project of Dachverband Tanz Deutschland and produktionsbande. In the companionship programme, one companion with transnational expertise supports one participant in the development and expansion of their own transnational working practice as a producer in the independent performing arts.

In this session we invite a critical eye on our existing networks, our informal champions and how to utilise these tools to identify new opportunities, disseminate work and push producing practices. We will look at the structure of networks and the importance of reciprocity in building lasting relationships. We will use this time to form a temporal network of information exchange where participants will be invited to offer their experiences and talk about their desires.

Since 2017, alongside the curatorial practice she collaborates as a Dance Dramaturg and producer with choregrapher James Batchelor. They have presented in over 20 countries and in such contexts as Centre Pompidou (FR), New Baltic Dance (LT), Tanz Im August (DE), Impulstanz (AT) and Dance Massive (AU).

Bek’s practice binds curiosity with innovation in order to design new models of connection, collaboration and reciprocity between artists and communities, across borders and art forms. Her expertise lies across festival making and dance creation, having intuited a number of large international collaborations such as Baltic Take Over Helsinki (LV, LT, EE, FI), The Shake Down with Rosendal Theatre (LV, NO), The Festivals Path with ANTI festival (LV, FI). She is currently busy with creating a new tarot deck to improve communication in creative processes and looking towards pleasure centre design processes. 

Bek serves on the board of the international performing arts network, IETM, was an ISPA fellow in 2022/2023 and in 2023 Bek was a SAARI fellow/resident in Finland supported by the Kone Foundation.