Author: Dag Rosenqvist

On March 11, Step invites regional presenters to a digital meeting to present the selection of performances that have been chosen for Step 2022!

During the meeting we will give a brief introduction to Step and a shorter presentation on each performance. There will also be time for questions. In preparation for the meeting, we will send out more information on each performance with production facts and cost. We will also share a Dropbox where you can access technical rider and other useful information that might come in handy.

This meeting is for dance presenters in Region Västra Götaland and takes place digitally, Thursday March 11 at 13:00-15:00.

Would you like to join? Please let us know no later than March 5 by e-mailing:
julia@producentbyran.se

We look forward meeting both old acquaintances as well as new dance presenters!

It is now official who will be our guest curators for the upcoming edition of Step, taking place in March 2022!

With us this time is Fiona Ferguson who works as Creative Development Director for Edinburgh based Imaginate who develop theatre and dance for young audiences in Scotland and produce Edinburgh International Children’s Festival. This time around as well, we have Adjjima Na Patalung from BICT Fest in Bangkok and Peter Sunesson who normally works as producer for the Salto! festival in Skåne. We are increadibly happy and grateful to have three such talented, experienced and generally great people with us during the work ahead. Read more about the festival curators here!

A first selection of performances will be ready before the end of the year, and the idea is to then have a slightly adjusted selection ready for our regional and local partners in March 2021. And given that the final selection will be done much earlier than during the previous edition, we hope this means that the festival’s performances will reach even more further throughout the region in 2022.

Without exaggerating, it’s safe to day that the first edition of Step was a rollercoaster like no other. The festival was filled with amazing encounters with children, youth, companies and presenters. And at the same time, it was with a heavy heart that we were forced to cancel a great number of performances due to the current situation in the world.

But with all this said, we are still incredibly happy and grateful for the events that we actually manage to present during the festival. The warmth and the positive energy that we met during the grand opening of the festival in Vänersborg. Where local musicians and dancers started the evening before Danish company Freestyle Phanatix opened the festival with the performance 3rd. The hysterical laughter that met Un Poyo Rojo at Stora Teatern in Gothenburg. The exalted babies and their parents that experienced Natten and the happy and curious children who got to see Big Wind’s performance Förvandling. Step ended earlier that planned, but what an ending! Dergårdsteatern in Lerum opened their doors to welcome Akram Khan’s beautiful and emotional performance Chotto Xenos.

Still, it feels amazing that we, in spite of all this, were able to present more than a third of the planned festival program. Children and youth form Vänersborg, Lerum, Gothenburg, Uddevalla and Borås were able to see performances and take part of workshops. In total we had an audience of roughly 2200 people, mainly children and youth, but also parents, grandparents, teachers, culture administrators, presenters and people interested in dance in general.

Like we said, the festival ended sooner than planned, and it was a tough blow to have to cancel so many performances, workshops and our international professionals program. But even though we couldn’t go through with all the 70 planned items of the festival program, we at Producentbyrån want to thank our companies, collaboration partners, presenters and the funding bodies. Thank you for staying by our side through the ups and downs. We’d also like to extend a massive thanks to the audience who attended the festival. We hope to see you all during Step 2022!

(photo: Olle Gustafsson)

The professionals program for Step 2020 is cancelled!

Due to the increased restriction when it comes to both international and domestic travels, a majority of the participating speakers of the Step professionals program on Friday the 20th and Saturday the 21st of March are unfortunately unable to make it to Gothenburg. This means that we are forced to cancel the remaining talks, including the mingle that was to take place in connection to the talks at Konstepidemin.

So to summarize: the professionals program that was to take place in Gothenburg on March 19th-21st is cancelled in its entirety!

We are so sorry about this and we hope that you all understand the situation that we are now facing. We have fought to make this happen, and we were looking forward to meet you all in Gothenburg, but unfortunately this won’t happen. But we will be back.

En scen kväll = cancelled!!!

Due to the current situation when it comes to limit further spreading and/or risk of spreading of the Corona virus, we have in dialogue with Göteborgs stads Kulturförvaltning decided to cancel En scen kväll at Stora Teatern in Gothenburg on March 17. The ambition is to present this sometime during fall, and we will let you know as soon as we know more.

On Tuesday March 17 it’s time for the local showcase day En scen kväll at Stora Teatern in Gothenburg!<7strong>

During the afternoon/evening you have the chance to meet and experience local dance groups Art of Spectra – Tension, Big Wind – Förvandling, Danskompaniet Spinn – Miramos, Embla dans & teater – Motsatser, Fuse Fam – Identity, Gilda Stillbäck/Possibilitas – Herr Kattzon och Lilla Morrhår, Kompani Catapult – #NEXTLEVEL and MYSK – Shakti.

During the evening you will also meet Lisa Spets who is the theatre director at Stockholm based ZebraDans. ZebraDans is a presenter, guest venue, production company and platform for choreographers, dance groups and dancers. Lisa will a.o. talk about why we sometimes find it hard to present and to talk about dance, and also share some thoughts on how we can overcome these potential barriers.

En scen kväll is mainly for presenters, but anyone is free to join!

Entrance for En scen kväll is free of charge.
Click here to register!

As we’ve written previously, London based company Akram Khan Company will have the Swedish premiere of their new performance Chotto Xenos, which means ”Little stranger”, during Step!

Chotto Xenos is a solo performance using the the often forgotten stories of colonial soldiers who fought for Great Britain during World War 1. In the performance, the dancer’s moves blend with projections that make out a big part of the piece, something you can see examples of in the trailer below.

Chotto Xenos is presented at Dergårdsteatern in Lerum on March 19 at 19:00. Tickets can be bought here!

The world premiere of Chotto Xenos took place at DanceEast in Ipswich, Great Britain on February 21. Dance magazine The Wonderful World of Dance attended the premiere and wrote:

“It is a story told by his body in choreography which is wonderfully clear and simple to understand. Using humour and body language that is both familiar and often childlike we are all too quickly engaged in the horrors of his experience”

The full review can be read here.

Here you will find an overview of the festival’s public performances!

3rd
Freestyle Phanatix (DK)
Vänersborgs Teater, Vänersborg
Tuesday March 3 at 19:00
Tickets!

Un Poyo Rojo
Un Poyo Rojo (AR)
Stora Teatern, Gothenburg
Friday March 6 at 19:00
Tickets!

Natten
MYKA (DK)
Regionteater Väst, Borås
Saturday March 7 at 10:30, 11:30 and 12:30
Tickets!

Förvandling
Big Wind (SE)
Uddevalla stadsbibliotek, Uddevalla
Saturday March 7 at 11:00
Free entrance. Book tickets by calling +46 522-69 65 03.
Please note that tickets must be collected 1 hour before the performance.

Un Poyo Rojo
Un Poyo Rojo (AR)
Stora Teatern, Gothenburg
Saturday March 7 at 19:00
Tickets!

Natten
MYKA (DK)
Frölunda Kulturhus, Gothenburg
Sunday March 8 at 13:30 and 15:00
Monday March 9 at 09:30 and 10:30
Tickets!

Natten
MYKA (DK)
Blå Stället, Gothenburg
Wednesday March 18 at 11:30 and 14:00
Tickets!

Chotto Xenos
Akram Khan Company (GB)
Dergårdsteatern, Lerum
Thursday March 19 at 19:00
Tickets!

Natten
MYKA (DK)
Världskulturmuseet, Gothenburg
Friday March 20 at 13:00 and 14:00
Tickets!

An Encounter
Jordi L. Vidal Company (BE)
Mölnlycke Kulturhus, Mölnlycke
Friday March 20 at 16:00
Free entrance!

Natten
MYKA (DK)
Ale Kulturrum, Nödinge
Saturday March 21 at 11:00 and 12:30
Tickets!

An Encounter
Jordi L. Vidal Company (BE)
Ale Kulturrum, Nödinge
Saturday March 21 at 12:00 and 13:30
Free entrance!

Plock!
Grensgeval (BE)
Huvudnässkolan, Vänersborg
Friday March 27 at 16:00
Tickets!

Welcome to En scen kväll, focusing on dance for young audiences, March 17 at Stora Teatern!

Come meet the city’s dance groups at Stora Teatern on March 17 at 15:00-19:00. The afternoon will be filled with local dance performances for young audiences, lecture, talks and presentations. This is also an opportunity to meet presenters, dancers, choreographers and invited guests.

During the afternoon you will be able to see Art of Spectra – Tension, Big Wind – Förvandling, Danskompaniet Spinn – Miramos, Embla dans & teater – Motsatser, Fuse Fam – Identity, Gilda Stillbäck/Possibilitas – Herr Kattzon och Lilla Morrhår, Kompani Catapult – Next Level and MYSK – Shakti.

There will also be a presentation from Lisa Spets from ZebraDans in Stockholm. Lisa will give a talk about dance for young audiences focusing on the actual experience.

The day is moderated by Nina Rajabi.

When you arrive you will be treated to a hearty sandwich, and later during the evening there will be some lighter refreshments.

The evening is free of charge, but registration is binding.
Click here to register!

For any questions, please get in touch with: mia.bjorklund@kultur.goteborg.se

The grand opening of Step will take place at Folkets hus in Vänersborg on March 3rd!

Starting outside the gates, at Plantaget, we will be greeted with dance in the twilight. We are then lead into the elegant Festsalen at Folkets hus. Among mingling people, balloons and bubbles we will listen to the inauguration speaker Daniel Andersson (L), commissioner of the regional council and first vice chairman of the culture committee. There will also be dancing and musical entertainment. The participants are the winners of VBG Dance Festival, Go To Crew, students from Music School Vänersborg’s dance education, Musikskolans Party Band and Danspoolen.

Tickets cost 130 sek for adults and 70 sek for children/youth.
Click here to book your ticket!

Approximate times for the evening are:
17:45: Light dance at Plantaget, outside of Folkets hus
18:00–18:50: Mingle, speech, dance and musical entertainment at Festsalen, Folkets hus
ca 18:50: Doors open, Vänersborgs teater
19:00–19:40: The street performance 3rd with company Freestyle Phanatix