The context of the challenge on which this training kit is based

Number of participants : ten participants from an open call to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and local solidarity communities.

Past experience in contemporary dance: All participants were immigrants from different countries that had never practiced contemporary dance or participated in a similar activity. 

Cultural background : The workshop organized by Quo Vadis brought together a culturally diverse group of participants, including two young women from Somalia, a young girl from Sierra Leone, two elderly women from China, a man from Bangladesh, two women from Ukraine, and two young women from France.

This diversity also encompassed a range of religious practices, which influenced participants’ levels of engagement and interaction within the group. Notably, three individuals chose not to be filmed or photographed, pointing to the significance of respecting privacy and personal boundaries. Additionally, some participants wore clothing not suited for dance or movement due to religious or cultural reasons.

All participants were living in Athens or the surrounding areas at the time of the workshop—some had been residing in Greece for several years, while others had arrived more recently. Most were connected to local associations or solidarity networks and came into contact with Quo Vadis for the first time during the participant recruitment process.

Language dynamics : Each participant spoke their native language, with some having some familiarity with English and others with Greek.

Language barriers presented an additional challenge, making mutual support among participants essential for fully understanding the instructions and engaging with the practice.

Among the group, three young girls from Somalia initially displayed a close connection, often remaining together as if to protect one another. However, by the second day, as they became more at ease in the workshop environment, they began interacting and collaborating with other participants.

By the end of the workshop, they had integrated seamlessly into the group, showing remarkable social adaptability and a growing sense of cohesion.

Duration and Location: A three day, co-creation dance workshop that took place in Athens, Greece, concluded with a public performance. Each session lasted three hours, divided between practice and creation/choreography, with the outdoor rehearsal and performance lasting approximately two hours.

Workshop and Performance Venues: Utopia Laboratory & Plato’s Academy, Athens 

Leading team: Sabrina Marwa (Seneca intensiv), assisted by Jördis Wölk, from Germany, as a participant interacting with the group.

Specific challenges faced: The unique situation of creating with immigrants from a variety of communities, with religious diversity, posed significant challenges, primarily due to the language barriers and the diverse backgrounds of the participants. The choreographer had to adopt a lateral approach in her communication with the group, constantly finding creative solutions to bridge the language gap. It was also essential to consider and respect the participants' different cultural backgrounds. 

In the field of dance training, several key strategies were essential in addressing the challenges encountered during practice. Breaking the ice was crucial in fostering an open and collaborative environment from the outset. Establishing a clear communication code ensured that all participants were aligned, facilitating smooth interactions. Finding common points of connection among participants helped build a cohesive group dynamic. 

Number of participants: twentytwo people initially registered for the workshop through open call in collaboration with the municipality ; nine of them went through the whole process and participated in the performance.

(Except for one participant who expressed she felt too old (being sixty-seven years old) to stay in the workshop, and one who was living too far and did not have any transportation means to come to Sitia, the people who did not continue the process were non professional latin dancers who had to participate to another dance event held at the same time in town.) 

Past experience in contemporary dance: Out of the nine participants who experienced the full workshop, only one had a brief experience in contemporary dance in the past. Therefore, most of the participants were introduced to contemporary dance for the first time during this workshop.

Age of participants: Whereas the youngest participant was fourteen years old, the oldest was seventy three years old. Age variety comes along with differences in physical abilities, which can be directly felt in the dance field. 

Inclusion and diversity: Socially, the group was relatively balanced, as the group mainly consisted of women with shared social and professional experiences The group consisted exclusively of female participants.

In this particular case, one person had a hearing impairment and another was pregnant; both circumstances influenced, in different ways, the participants’ ability to move through space and, consequently, affected the group dynamic.
However, thanks to clear communication and a strong willingness to adapt to each individual’s needs, these circumstances were not seen as obstacles, but rather as specific conditions to be mindfully considered during the co-creative process.

Cultural background: There was genuine diversity among the participants, primarily in terms of cultural background, with three of them being non-Greek.

Quite unexpectedly for a workshop held in a small town, the group included individuals from a range of backgrounds. While most participants were Greek—including one woman originally from the town who now lives permanently in Argentina and was visiting Sitia for holidays—there were also three international participants, from France, Croatia, and Israel.

This cultural diversity was acknowledged from the very start, during the introductory circle where each person had the opportunity to introduce themselves. It also became a valuable resource throughout the creative process. One session, which was later incorporated into the final performance, invited participants to share a childhood game from their own cultural context through movement. Each woman presented her game by demonstrating a series of gestures, which the entire group then repeated together.

Duration and Location: A three day, co-creation dance workshop that took place in Sitia, Greece, concluded with a public performance. 

Workshop and Performance Venues: The workshop took place in the 3rd Primary School of Sitia & the final performance at the square of the town. 

Leading team: Melita Spahic Bezjak (Free Dance), Isabelle Bazin Mazuel, (Ascen-Danse)

Although both choreographers were professional dancers in the contemporary field, they came from different cultural backgrounds—one being French and the other Croatian. As a result, they had to co-create across cultural differences, engaging in mutual learning and open communication while designing a workshop that would be accessible and meaningful for a culturally diverse group.

Specific challenges faced: The group of inexperienced dancers presented a wide range of movement diversity, both in terms of age and physical ability. One participant was five months pregnant, and another experienced hearing difficulties. These differences naturally influenced the movement possibilities and required attentiveness from the facilitators, but rather than being obstacles, they became specific conditions that enriched the group dynamic.

As the workshop took place in August in Crete, the weather was particularly warm. In response, both participants and choreographers jointly decided to move the sessions outdoors. This gesture of flexibility not only improved comfort but also fostered a stronger sense of collective decision-making, allowing participants to see their input valued and incorporated into the process.

Number of participants: The group consisted of twenty participants, selected through an open call.

Past experience in contemporary dance: Participants had varying levels of dance experience. While a few had some non-professional background, the majority were engaging with contemporary dance for the first time.

Age of participants: The group represented a broad cross-section of Karlovac’s urban community. It included children (aged ten to fourteen), teenagers (fourteen to nineteen), young adults, adults (twenty and older), and a special group of seniors (fifty and above).

Cultural background: The workshop brought together participants from diverse cultural backgrounds—including Croatia, Slovenia, and Canada—which significantly influenced the group’s movement vocabulary and interpersonal dynamics.
Additional diversity emerged from the participants’ different hometowns within Croatia. Distinct regional cultures—such as those of Karlovac, Zagreb, and Petrinja—shaped how participants related to one another and approached the movement tasks. The group exhibited a unique energy, blending the urban influences of larger cities with the grounded, intimate qualities of smaller towns, resulting in a rich and multifaceted creative process.

Language dynamics: Communication throughout the workshop was notably effective. Sessions were conducted in English, and even the youngest participants adapted with ease. The clarity of instruction and structure contributed to a shared understanding across the group. Remarkably, language differences posed no obstacle, with children comprehending and engaging in the process confidently and fluently. 

Duration and Location: A three-day co-creation workshop took place at the Briançon Theater, located in a very small town in the rural, mountainous region of northern Hautes-Alpes. The workshop culminated in performances on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, organized at the theater’s request as part of the Heritage Day celebrations.

Workshop and Performance Venues:  The workshop unfolded over several phases. It began on Friday with an exploration of the theater as a site-specific space for dance research. On Saturday, the participants continued this exploration and presented an initial version of a guided tour. On Sunday, they refined the performance and presented it a second time. The aim was to creatively reimagine the use of various rooms in the theater, shifting their conventional functions in order to explore the theme of “dream.”

The final session took place outdoors, in the town itself, offering participants a chance to connect with the environment and enjoy some fresh air.

Leading team: Isabelle Bazin Mazuel (Ascen-Danse) and Sabrina Marwa (Seneca Intensiv)

Specific Challenges faced: Because the first performance was scheduled for the second day of the workshop, participants had to engage in an intense and fast-paced creation process right from the start, working continuously throughout the first day. This tight schedule was both demanding and tiring.

The group improvised and explored twelve different rooms within the theater. For each space, they co-created material and linked it into a cohesive narrative. To do so, they exchanged imaginaries or used body-based explorations. Eventually, they composed a guided tour structured around improvisational scores.

A key emphasis was placed on giving participants space to develop their own ideas. They worked in small mixed groups (two to four people), creating opportunities for rich exchanges of imagination, adaptability, and mutual learning. The choreographers moved between groups, acting as facilitators — offering feedback, guidance, or more structured instructions when necessary.

Number of participants: The group consisted of a total of ten individuals selected through an open call.

Past experience in contemporary dance: The group was composed of six young adult, experienced German female dancers from Berlin, along with one amateur and two beginners from the Ascen-Danse dance school, and one complete beginner French dancer.

Age of participants: Participants ranged in age from twenty-one to sixty-six years old.

Cultural background: While the French participants were from the northern part of the Hautes-Alpes region, the German participants were based in Berlin.

Overall, the participants’ backgrounds included France, Germany, Denmark, Indonesia, Algeria, and Spain.

Language dynamics: The German participants were speaking English, and a few also had some knowledge of French. Among the French participants, two were speaking a little English, while two others did not speak English at all. The German choreographer did not speak French, while the French choreographer spoke a few English.

Various ways were explored to facilitate communication under these circumstances, with all three languages—French, English, and German—being used throughout the workshop. In the end, it became evident that non-verbal and embodied communication proved to be the most effective tool for connection and collaboration.

Duration and Location: A three-day workshop in Karlovac, Croatia, concluded with a performance on the final day.

Workshop and Performance Venues:  The workshop took place at Karlovac’s Free Dance contemporary dance studio and Kino Edison, a multifunctional cultural venue. The final performance was presented at Kino Edison, a recognized public cultural institution.

Leading Team: Melita Spahić Bezjak (Free Dance), Isabelle Bazin Mazuel (Ascen-Danse), and Zafeiria Tsirakaki (Quo Vadis)

Specific Challenges Faced: One key element that made this workshop stand out within the Siniparksi workshops was the inclusion of a live musician. This added a unique creative dimension, enriching the interaction between sound and movement and fostering deeper collaboration across artistic disciplines.

Another challenge was the broad age range of participants, from ten to sixty-two years old. Working across generations required mindful adaptation, as different age groups brought varied perspectives, physical capacities, and levels of familiarity with contemporary dance.

Additionally, for most participants, this was their first time performing on a theater stage, making the experience both exciting and challenging.