Derida Dance Center

Short bio about your organization?

DERIDA Dance Center /Art Link Foundation/ is the first centre for contemporary dance and training center in Bulgaria.

Derida Dance Center is concentrated on long-term strategies for attracting new audiences, professional dance training, creating international partnerships and presenting the company’s production at both national and international festivals. Through its Residency program, Derida Dance Center has produced 58 contemporary dance productions in the last 8 years. In 2014 the Residency program of Derida Dance Center was recognized by EU Department for Culture and education as a good practice in Europe.

Over 70 Bulgarian dancers have been trained as part of Dance PORT Derida. Through the years the company has hosted over 50 workshops lead by guest choreographers from all around the world. The EU platform “Aerowaves – dance across Europe” gives us a chance to present Bulgarian artwork at European stage and European choreographers in Bulgaria. Derida is an active partner in the committee responsible for selecting the TOP 20 European choreographers of the year. In 2018 Derida Dance Center with the support of Sofia Municipality hosted the annual Spring Forward Festival of the Aerowaves platform. Furthermore, the performance “F63.9”/Derida Company/ choreographed by Jivko Jeliazkov was selected for one of TOP 20 European choreographers of 2018 by Aerowaves.

In 2019 Derida stage – professional stage for contemporary arts, was opened in the city center of Sofia with following facilities – stage, 9 x 11 meters, black box, professional equipment for light, sound and visual arts, seating for up to 200 people, changing rooms, office space, common area.

In 2020 Derida Dance Center and Derida Stage become partner of EDN (European Dance Network). 

Derida works also in the public field and gives the opportunity for organizing various workshops, carrying out presentations, commercial activities, public events for promotion of dance and arts.

What motivates you to be part of the project?

The CLASH! project is challenging Derida team to see different point of view of partners with different experience in the time, size of organisation status but with the same motivation to move forward dance. We are looking for answer if the CLASH energy can become SYNERGY.

How the project can contribute to your local activities?

The Labs are part of the project where we discuss, research and share experience. These moments are very important for the main issues the dance organisations have: training and professional development, audience development, marketing and management models.

How Clash! can contribute for the international partnerships?

All the outputs of the project are shared with the dance community trough the networks every partners has. This visibility will make possible and encourage new partnerships. The final event will be a traveling showcase of all partners dance productions that will use one consortium model of presenting the new created dance works.

Why CLASH!?

Contemporary Laboratory Analysis Synergy History of Dance

CLASH! Is a project that is questioning why clashing and why not unification or global understanding. This is a project that creates moments when we find new ways, use a methodology of experience based on diversity of geographical locations, political and economical differences.

Interesting story from your last Clash trip in Rome?

The moment I remember in Rome was connected with amazing environment in the studios of Balleto di Roma, this was the moment I felt the happiness to be part of the project and to see that the progress is a goal of all us.

Atanas Maev, (CEO of DERIDA Dance Center)