Staff and students at South East Technological University (SETU) recently took part in the EU-CONEXUS Dance Project which aims to highlight smart urban coastal sustainability. Led by dancer and choreographer Jennifer Macavinta, the dance aimed to intersect the worlds of art, academia and sustainability.
The initiative is a key part of the ‘community engagement through arts and culture sector’ of EU-CONEXUS. It not only introduces dance to the EU-CONEXUS community, of which SETU is a part of, but also fosters inter-campus connections among partner universities through the universal language of movement.
Spanning several EU-CONEXUS universities, the dance project began at La Rochelle University before moving on to SETU, the University of Zadar, and then to the University of Rostock where it will conclude.
By transforming words representing the core theme into a movement phrase, the project aims to transform complex concepts into a tangible and expressive form. This was made possible due to the leadership of Jennifer Macavinta, who brought a wealth of expertise to her skilled and exciting masterclass.
“The EU-CONEXUS Dance Project serves as a creative platform to explore and communicate complex ideas surrounding sustainability while fostering a sense of community and solidarity among its participants."
Dr Susan Flynn Head of the Department of Arts, SETU in Waterford
Staff and student collaboration
For its Irish leg, the dance began indoors at the SETU Arena before developing a key movement phrase with students and staff. It then moved outdoors with the River Suir as a backdrop. The collaborative efforts of staff and students from the SETU Department of Arts staff, and particularly the Theatre Studies programme (alongside lecturers, Deirdre Grant, Kate McCarthy, and Una Kealy) created a unique learning experience. This collaboration also contributed to the broader goals of the project of expressing EU-CONEXUS unity through diversity of culture and languages, and to strengthen European values through collaboration.
The recorded segments from each location will also serve as a powerful representation of unity, echoing the core values of EU-CONEXUS and European collaboration.
Speaking about the event, Dr Susan Flynn, Head of the Department of Arts, said, “The EU-CONEXUS Dance Project serves as a creative platform to explore and communicate complex ideas surrounding sustainability while fostering a sense of community and solidarity among its participants. It stands as a testament to the power of art in inspiring collective action towards a more sustainable future.”
Further information on the Bachelor of Arts Programme including the Theatre Studies on Arts major element can be found here. For further information on the community engagement through arts and culture sector of EU-CONEXUS tap here.
