CALL FOR COLLABORATOR
My name is Meryem Alaoui. I’m a Moroccan dancer-choreographer based in Toronto, Ontario, Artistic Director of Jasad, a company that aims at bridging the dance and art scenes, with a focus on somatic body-based practices, between Canada and countries in North Africa, the Middle East and the Arab world in general.
I believe in valuing the quiet, the subtle and the delicate, which I see as a reflection of my Arabic and Moroccan cultural heritage and upbringing.
My work is propelled by a fascination with the complexity of the human body in its most beautiful simplicity. My research is anchored in an interest in somatic experience, experiential tangible phenomena within the body which may be subtle and not yet visible. This somatic research is often played out through a rigorous questioning of added embellishment, forceful spectacle, and gratuitous outward displays of virtuosity.
The connections between the voice and the body as vehicles for affect also deeply inspire me. The body’s status in relation to object-hood and the performative potential of objects and physical materials is another area of interest in my work.
For my residency at Young Lungs Dance Exchange, I’m looking for an artist – dancer, choreographer, visual artist, musician or other – who would be interested and available to collaborate towards a research/creation based on some of the questions mentioned above and their own questions and interests. I’m curious about how we can dialogue through the body, as we research and create together in an effort to encourage a human meeting beyond the mere presence of two opinions/perspectives/cultures side by side.
The residency will take place in Winnipeg between March 17 and March 29, 2020 (dates TBC).
An artist fee, based on standards set by the Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists, will be offered.
Please send an email explaining why you’re interested in this opportunity to meryem@jasad.ca and provide a bio, resume, and links to some of your work to be considered for this opportunity by February 10, 2020.
For more information about my work, please visit www.jasad.ca