8th International Festival of Contemporary Dance - Awakenings

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8 - 24 June 2012 From 8 to 24 June 2012 dance will take centre stage in Venice with "Awakenings", the 8th International Festival of Contemporary Dance for the Venice Biennale, celebrating and reawakening life and creativity. For two weeks, various locations (ranging from the Arsenal to numerous churches and theatres) will spoil us for choice with shows, performances, installations – including 5 world debuts, and 5 Italian debuts – as well as conferences, workshops and masterclasses with some of the leaders from the contemporary scene. Expectations are high for the new choreography by director Ismael Ivo, Library of the Body, which will involve 25 dancers from the Arsenale della Danza at the end of their academic year. Originally inspired by Borges' short story The Library of Babel, the show centres on a personal “library of the body”, a choreographic installation in which bodies are brought together to form books. The Festival also features a homage to the unforgettable artist Pina Bausch, composed by Cristiana Morganti, the renowned dancer form the Tanztheater Wuppertal. Moving with Pina will be presented in Ca’ Giustinian's Hall of Columns on 12 and 13 June. Also returning to Venice is William Forsythe, an artist who is constantly evolving and continues to explore dance processes. He will present one of his greatly celebrated “choreographic objects” that can be found on display in galleries and museums throughout the world: Nowhere and Everywhere at the Same Time, making its Italian debut at the Biennale in the spaces of the Artiglierie dell’Arsenale (15>17, 22>24 June). To end with a bang, on 22, 23 and 24 June, 6000 Miles Away, a triptych choreographed by the most respected names in contemporary dance, William Forsythe, Mats Ek, Jirí Kylián. The lead dancer is Sylvie Guillem, who will be awarded by the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Festival. PB