Danza en Comunidad, the social department of Tenerife Danza, starts a new course with 20 groups enrolled. The team welcomed the agents involved in the projects at a function that took place at Auditorio de Tenerife. The event was attended by the heads and participants of the groups or communities, open call applicants, local programmers, artistic collaborators and a representative of the project “Amiguitos y amiguitas” [Little friends] of Cabildo de Tenerife and La Laguna University.

The aim of these meetings is to agree initiatives regarding the work to be done during the project. “Danza en Comunidad also acts as mediator between different cultural agents, groups and individuals who want dance, body and movement to be used as a tool of personal and social transformation”, project coordinator Laura Marrero explained.

Professionals Cristina Hernández, Raquel Jara and Carmen Macías complete the Danza en Comunidad team, who for seven years has shared the experience of a professional of the art of movement through sessions structured in a dancer’s routine: warm up, working on stage presence and the construction of a dance show.

In this last stage, the atmosphere is filled with creativity, participation, collective creation and expression of the inner worlds of every participant. “Everyone contributes to the idea, the movements, the theme and even the costume for the stage design that will finally get made”, Marrero says.

The project currently has six programmes to offer the groups: Tarjeta de visita [Business Card], Juntos [Together], Cita a ciegas [Blind Date], Isla flotante [Floating Island], Transmisión [Transmission] and Paso a Paso [Step by Step]. There is also a continuation activity every Tuesday at Auditorio de Tenerife for people who have taken part in the project as a member of a group and wish to go on individually.

Also, Creadores en Comunidad is carried out once a year. It consists of a guest choreographer who makes a dance show for different participants. This year, Daniel Morales will be taking part in the project to work with teenagers. Danza en Comunidad also welcomes ideas of artists wishing to collaborate in the project.

There is an open call every year for people wishing to be part of the work done with the groups, they can register at Auditorio de Tenerife website.

Two new programmes were carried out last year and we started having two get-togethers a year with the participants to evaluate, create and build together. A total of over 700 people have experienced the art of movement thanks to Danza en Comunidad, which is part of Auditorio de Tenerife’s Educational and Social Area, with the collaboration of Fundación Cepsa and Obra Social “la Caixa”.

In the six years the Project has been on, the Danza en Comunidad team has put on as many shows as groups they have worked with using the values chosen by the groups: respect, beauty, friendship, justice, courage, sensitivity and love. Working with so many people has revealed two main concepts the project currently focuses on: identity and coexistence.

In Danza en Comunidad they respect the time every individual needs to take in the dance tools, trying to find maximum mobility for each body with the aim of maximising the physical pleasure of moving. The relationship with the group, agreements, taking part, movement and ideas are key to build an atmosphere where everyone can exercise their right to move, create and express their sensitivity.