Barcelona Fall lab 2016 - a successful tryout of the 4-day structure!

The Fall lab 2016 was the first one in which we tried out a new structure of 4 days. We changed the structure from 3 to 4 days after evaluating the feedback received over the course of the previous labs. Having 4 days offered us the possibility to schedule more time on the common playgrounds. In Barcelona, we also secured new cooperation contacts with local institutions and events to strengthen our link with the contexts in which the labs takes place.

In this sense and thanks to a very open collaboration agreement with Fenòmens Festival – taking place during the same weekend in Barcelona – we were very happy to have Manuela Calleja from the Austrian company Helène Weinzierl (performing during Fenòmens) to give a lecture on her experience in Vienna. She also told us about the ways in which Weinzierl challenged a long-standing choreographic practise in search for the new/the unexpected in her work.

On the other hand, we signed a collaboration agreement with the Institut del Teatre which allowed us to use their facilities during the weekend in exchange for scholarships for some of their advanced and Erasmus students. This positive experience brought us to consider contacting other schools and conservatoires in the future to offer similar win-win agreements.

The better balance between guided labs with a specific idea and the open playgrounds was felt from day one. Some of the participants found a thread of research in which they invested the playtime of all four days. They ended up presenting a sketch based on multiple possible ways in which a body is shown/modified by means of a mobile phone, questioning how they could condition the what/when/how of the act of looking at the piece by the audience through a Smartphone. Others tried out new ideas at every playground session instead, especially reaching a very diverse palette of resources in a quick carrousel which took place on the last day: It consisted of a challenging cycle of 20minutes per idea that imposed a rhythm and the need to not over think, resulting in very spontaneous and fresh developments for everybody involved.
Next to the playgrounds, the rest of the labs developed successfully. You can find more info on the specifics of each lab here and should you have any questions you can always contact us here.

The overall feedback we received for the Barcelona fall Lab 2017 was rewarding and eye-opening. If one side it reassured us that a 4 day structure is a good measure for our endeavour, on the other it taught us that by gaining weight within the global, the playgrounds should be better explained to the participants beforehand. This way the expectations can be better set for the activities at hand, and the participants can eventually prepare questions or ideas for research. One should ask him or herself: what is my interest in choreolab? How would I like to be part of it? Would I like to offer an idea for a specific research, and if yes, which one? Or would I prefer to be challenged by the ideas of others? Everything is possible, but it is important to be aware of it in order to make the most out of your own experience during choreolab.

On our side, we were again amazed and thankful for the openness and generosity of all participants, and we are already looking forward and preparing for the Spring lab 2017, organized in close collaboration with Compota. Save the date! Lisbon, 4 to 7 May. You can find all the details about the Spring Lisbon lab here. Join before March 7th to get an early bird discount, and see you in the studio!