New app combines a tour of Brussels with history of dance

New app combines a tour of Brussels with history of dance
Credit: Eric Lalmand / Belga

Walking in unusual places in Brussels while learning about the history of dance is the original concept of the new application "Si t'y danses."

Invented by two passionate dancers, Anne Golaz and Florence Corin, the application "Si t'y danses" invites participants to discover the history of dance through two walks enhanced with videos, quotes, historical anecdotes, original creations and small fun exercises. The app allows people to dive into the world of dance with family or friends.

"The application offers a cultural activity accessible at any time that invites you to take a new look at the city and its heritage, while highlighting choreographic art," the two creators said.

Immersed in art and history

This original idea finds its starting point in a project by the dancer and choreographer Golaz. As part of her studies, the artist conducted research on the links between dance and street art.

At the time, Golaz had tagged quotes related to dance on the walls of the city of Strasbourg. The project then became a real thematic route with maps and photos to support it. Thanks to the call for projects "A future for culture" and Visit Brussels, "Si t'y danses" has now been exported to Brussels and has its own application.

The idea is to give a place in the urban space to dance, to its history, to the thoughts that revolve around it, in its political and social dimensions.

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Each stage of the journey is punctuated by a quote, accompanied by a small explanatory text, which places its author in its context. For example, at Point 2 of the walk near the Belgian Comic Book Centre, there is a quote from Trisha Brown, the famous American dancer: "Every step is an interrupted fall."

The quote dates from 1970: the performance "Leaning duet." The dancer explores imbalance and weight. The user of the application is invited to play with the quote in augmented reality. Once the visual composition is made, a bonus feature is unlocked giving you access to a video that mixes archival excerpts from Trisha Brown's pieces as well as a more contemporary proposal made by the students of P.A.R.T.S. on the façade of the Wiels gallery in Brussels.

Once the video is viewed, the application then asks you to try to reproduce Trisha Brown's "Leaning duet" with a partner of your choice. It is enough to "hold by one hand, let go of your weight on the side. Find the balance and try to move."

The content that participants will discover step by step on the application, was created with children from the Espace Mutin, an association that aims to promote and realise multidisciplinary artistic creations related to dance and movement.

"During the creation of the first two walks, a workshop was conducted with a dozen children," Golaz and Corin said. "Interpreters of certain videos, models of our photos or authors of quotes, appear in words and images in different places of the project."

The application and walks are free and accessible to all audiences. The app is available on the Play store for Android devices or the Apple app store. You will then have the choice to complete two different courses, at the time that suits you best.


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