[中][ENG]德國德勒斯登之旅：赫勒勞—歐洲藝術中心To HELLERAU – European Centre for the Arts, Dresden
放眼舞林 An Eye on Dance
德國德勒斯登之旅：赫勒勞—歐洲藝術中心 To HELLERAU – European Centre for the Arts, Dresden
赫勒勞節慶劇院Festspielhaus Hellerau; 攝Photo: Klaus Gigga
兩年前我發起Asia Network for Dance（AND+）網絡。為了準備AND+，今年五月，我應位於德國德勒斯登的赫勒勞——歐洲藝術中心（HELLERAU – European Centre for the Arts）的邀請，在他們舉辦的European Dancehouse Network（EDN）的論壇上發言，是次論壇的主題為「轉變中的歐洲及其他地方的舞蹈」。EDN在最近幾年都一直積極聯絡智利、加拿大、日本和香港，希望能在其國外地區展開對話及擴闊網絡。一連兩日的論壇以會議和表演形式帶動討論，並在赫勒勞的Me, myself and I藝術節期間舉行。該藝術節集中展示不同世代藝術家的獨舞及雙人舞作品，聯繫演講者、藝術家、製作人及藝術節參與者，參與此有意義的藝術對話及交流。論壇摒棄以歐洲為中心的做法，邀請了來自不同地方的演講嘉賓，包括阿必尚、巴西、加拿大、香港、墨西哥、莫三比克、聖地牙哥及南非，而部分歐洲藝術家在會議討論中清晰表達他們的實踐論述，更令我印象最為深刻。
The invitation by the European Dancehouse Network (EDN) to speak at their EDN Forum: Dance in Changing Europe and beyond Europe organized by HELLERAU – European Centre for the Arts, Dresden [Germany] in May was part of the preparation for the formation of Asia Network for Dance (AND+) that I initiated two years ago. EDN has been active in its outreach to Chile, Canada, Japan, and Hong Kong in the past few years aiming to extend dialogue and networks beyond its borders. The two-day forum, conducted in the form of a performative congress during HELLERAU’s Me, Myself and I festival that focused on presenting solos and duets from different generations of artists, allowed speakers, artists, presenters, and participants to connect and engage in meaningful artistic dialogue and exchange. The forum broke away from a Euro-centric approach by inviting speakers from Abidjan, Brazil, Canada, Hong Kong, Mexico, Mozambique, Santiago, and South Africa, and I was particularly impressed with some of the European artists who talked about their practice with clarity and articulation during the panel discussion.
雲門舞集於2018年5月在赫勒勞上演《關於島嶼》 Cloud Gate Dance Theatre’s Formosa staged in HELLERAU in May 2018; 攝Photo: LIU Chen- hsiang
舉辦論壇的赫勒勞——歐洲藝術中心於1911年建成赫勒勞節慶劇院，作為瑞士作曲家及音樂教育家Émile Jaques-Dalcroze的韻律學校，具有超過100年的悠久歷史。Rudolf Laban、Gret Palucca及Mary Wigman正是部分曾在赫勒勞學習、研究並發展出實踐理論的學生及舞蹈先驅。赫勒勞的現任節目總監Carmen Mehnert指在歐洲工業革命晚期期間，受「生命改革」（Lebensreform）主張回歸自然的運動，當時興起了一股渴望建立新形式、新美學及新方法來連繫生命、工作和藝術的思潮，所以赫勒勞在第一次世界大戰爆發前成為了「現代的實驗室」。自2009年起，在現任藝術總監Dieter Jaenicke（他將會在2018年6月卸任，並出任Tanzmesse 2018的藝術總監）的帶領下，赫勒勞成為了德國及歐洲其中一個最重要的跨界別當代藝術中心，關注當代舞、音樂劇場、當代古典音樂、劇場、行為藝術、當代藝術及新媒體。著名的威廉佛賽舞蹈團（The Forsythe Company；在2015年易名為Dresden Frankfurt Company）從2005年開始亦一直為駐場舞蹈團。赫勒勞全年的舞蹈節目包括了很多在國際上名列前茅的舞蹈團及編舞。到訪赫勒勞期間，我留意到在論壇一星期後，台灣的雲門舞集亦會在赫勒勞表演。赫勒勞亦開辦以現代舞優先的國際駐場計劃，令劇院發展成一個讓人實驗、實踐和發表藝術的地方。
The venue of the EDN forum, HELLERAU – European Centre for the Arts, has over 100 years of history when Hellerau Festival Theatre was first built in 1911 as a school of Rhythmics by Swiss composer and music educator Émile Jaques-Dalcroze. Rudolf Laban, Gret Palucca, and Mary Wigman were among some of the students and pioneers of dance who worked and developed their practices and theories in HELLERAU. Carmen Mehnert, the current program director at HELLERAU shared that during Europe’s late-industrial period the inspiration of life reform (Lebensreform) back-to-nature movement, there was a desire to develop new forms, new aesthetics, and new means and ways of connecting life, work, and art. HELLERAU, therefore, became a ‘Laboratory for the Modern Age’ before the outbreak of the first world war. Since 2009, under the current Artistic Director Dieter Jaenicke (who will be stepping down in June 2018 to take up the Artistic Directorship of Tanzmesse 2018), HELLERAU has become one of the most important interdisciplinary centers of the contemporary arts in Germany and in Europe focusing on contemporary dance, music theatre, contemporary classical music, theater, performance art, contemporary fine arts, and new media. The renowned Forsythe Company (renamed Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company in 2015) has been the residence company since 2005. HELLERAU programmes year-round dance presentations including works by many leading international dance companies and choreographers. When I was there, I noticed Cloud Gate Dance Company from Taiwan would be performing the week after the forum. HELLERAU also offers an international residency program with top priority for contemporary dance that turns this place over for people to experiment with art, test art ideas, and present art.
Dieter Jaenicke, 赫勒勞的藝術總監Dieter Jaenicke, Artistic Director of HELLERAU; 攝Photo: Joscha Jennessen
圖片由陳頌瑛提供 Photo provided by Anna CY Chan
Carmen Mehnert亦分享了赫勒勞團隊在早期策劃節目時，為培育對舞蹈觀眾群所面對的一些挑戰，以及如何改變他們對拜訪距離市中心稍遠的劇院的觀感。他們堅持不懈地致力提供高質素的舞蹈節目，以及積極主動地建立網絡、與本地機構建立夥伴關係皆為成功關鍵。節目團隊亦堅信藝術不能自成一角，不能僅與外觀、優美、形式扯上關係。故此，他們積極策展了不同計劃和節目，回應社會面對的重大議題和問題，令藝術能夠以兼容人文生活，對社會有意義。到訪赫勒勞的短短旅程，令我反思到舞蹈如何超越它的形式，乃至一名深具遠見、能夠回應文化轉變的藝術領袖是何等重要。
Mehnert also shared the challenges of the HELLERAU team in their early days of programming in developing audiences interested in dance and ways of changing audiences’ perceptions of visiting a theater slightly away from the city center. Persistence of presenting high quality dance programs and pro-actively networking and building partnerships with local organizations are the key to success. The programming team also believes that arts cannot merely be self-referential, related to appearance, beauty, or form. They actively curate projects and programs that address major topics and problems facing society so that the practice of art is compatible with human life and makes sense for society. My short visit to HELLERAU inspired me to think of dance beyond its form and the importance of having visionary arts leaders that respond to culture shifts and changes.
