Aerowaves Springback Academy 2017, Open Call for Dance Writers, 28-30 April 2017

A project designed to stimulate dialogue about dance and performance whilst striving to improve and promote written criticism online. ​

Back for its fourth year, Springback Academy is offering aspiring dance writers the chance to be mentored in the fundamentals of quality dance criticism in the action-packed environment of Spring Forward,​ a buzzing annual festival run by our partner Aerowaves that will take place this year in Aarhus, Denmark from 28-30 April 2017.

Under the guidance of four experienced dance writers, up to 10 participants have the chance to create, shape and share conversations about dance and hone their critical writing skills for a number of different formats. It's a fast-track way to gain experience and technique in responsible, effective, attractive dance criticism as well as to explore and understand the opportunities that digital publishing has to offer.

If selected for the project, Aerowaves will provide mentorship, accommodation and hospitality. Participants will be required to organise and fund their own return travel to Aarhus. Aerowaves will organise local travel to and from Bilund or Aarhus airports.

During the Spring Forward festival each participant will:

• Write short reviews in English of several of the performances they see over the weekend. They will work to tight deadlines so that their reviews can be published each day on the Aerowaves website

• Generate ultra-short reviews, provocations, opinions and questions to share on Twitter

• Participate in a round-table/panel discussion about where dance writing is, or should be, heading.

• Contribute one longer, opinion-style piece for the Aerowaves website in the week after the festival

How to apply:
• Send a summary of your experience in critical review writing (140 words or less).
• Send a sample review (in English) of a dance performance you have seen (140 words or less). This can be an existing review or one you've written especially for this application.
• Explain in 140 words or less why you want to participate in Springback Academy 2017.
• Explain in 140 words or less about your local dance scene.
• State your potential arrival and departure date and time. If selected for the project, you would ideally need to arrive on the afternoon (if possible by 2pm) of Thursday April 27 and depart after midday on Monday 1 May.
• Send all of this in an email to: oonagh@aerowaves.org CC alice@aerowaves.org before 11am (GMT) on Monday 27 February 2017. Please put “Springback 2017 Application” as the email subject.
• Participants will be notified by email by Monday 13 March 2017 if they have been selected for the project.

For more information, click here.

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