Community Reflections
Minor Dance: Small-Format, Sarus, and ZDVIG Festivals Committed to Experimentation in Contemporary Dance
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Eka Zharinova
The study discusses minor curating in dance and provides an overview of the small-format festival I organized in Yekaterinburg from 2007-17. The festival was designed to exhibit and promote experimental dance performances. I focus on two exemplary case studies that are similar in nature to those I curated in Russia: Sarus festival, run by Karola Lüttringhaus in the greater Wilmington area of North Carolina, USA, in 2007-18, and ZDVIG festival, under the direction of Irina Brezhneva in Kirov, Russia, since 2007. This paper outlines some common traits of small-format, Sarus, and ZDVIG festivals that I suggest are also inherent to many other projects initiated by minor dance practitioners. They aimed to shape new forms/genres/trends and progress the field of contemporary dance toward experimentation, meticulously selecting and presenting artists and artworks that would contribute to development of the field in the festivals’ locations. Minor dance artists and curators are interested in discovering things that are unforeseen/unexplored, that deviate from the dominant forms, and have potential to open up possibilities.
Citizen Design: Enacting Graphic Design for Social and Environmental Impact
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Kelly Salchow MacArthur
The era of strife and uncertainty that we currently find ourselves in is a serendipitous chance to ask what part the creative community can play in creating positive change through our work and outreach projects. The arts have the potential to connect with society and generate impact that is complementary to the data and information that is most often conveyed through conventional media forms. From the perspective of the artist/designer, inquiry through making is an effective haptic problem-solving methodology. Engaging the public in this process extends the experience beyond the classrooms, studios, galleries, and museums—instigating progress and action. Whether on a local or global scale, the arts can reach people on personal, sensory, and emotional levels. Drawing on a body of work spanning nearly 20 years, this study shares a series of community-based projects that implement visual and tactile graphic design to catalyze social, political, and environmental progress.
Black Mountain College - Education for Democracy in a Divided Era: Lessons from an Experimental Community for Fostering Citizenship, Autonomy, and Social Engagement in Contemporary Education
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Siu Challons-Lipton
This research explores Black Mountain College (1933-1957), an experimental liberal arts educational community in North Carolina, which fostered an inclusive, self-governing environment amidst political, social, and artistic challenges. The college was unique in its commitment to democratic values, emphasizing student autonomy, community responsibility, and creative risk-taking. Students and faculty, including many European refugees, lived and worked together, cultivating both academic and manual labor skills, while challenging the racial segregation of the time by integrating ten years before Brown v. Board of Education. The paper argues that the principles of Black Mountain College—particularly its focus on community engagement, active citizenship, and intellectual freedom—offer valuable lessons for contemporary education. Considering rising political extremism, isolationism, and student disengagement, these practices remain crucial for fostering a more democratic, resilient society.
