PROJECTS
EDC was officially formed in 2018, but its history dates back to 2006 with the creation of Julia Ehrstrand’s Styggbo Residens, an annual week-long dance residency in Julia’s hometown of Styggbo, a tiny forest town in northern Sweden.
Julia wanted to create a place for dancers to be immersed in nature, to be able to create work in a peaceful and secluded environment, and to have time to explore movement research with people she felt connected to on a professional and personal level.
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Currently, we meet twice a year: each May in Styggbo and, since 2018, each January in Yanpu, Taiwan.
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During our residencies, we not only work together in the studio, but we also live together in one house. For us, the experience of sharing a home as well as a dance studio helps build our sense of collectivity, mutual respect, and cultural exchange. Everyone is an equal partner and contributor in choreography and teaching, as well as in cooking, cleaning, discussion, and practical organization. Because many months pass between each of our meetings, each artist brings new experiences and ideas to each residency.
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Sharing our time together both in and outside the dance studio allows us to dive deeper into the variety of cultures, opinions, values, and imaginations that we have.
STYGGBO RESIDENCY
Styggbo Residens has grown from hosting 7 artists to more than 20 each year, and has expanded to include an educational component where we offer classes to local and international students.
Each year, Styggbo Residens culminates in a performance held in a local elementary school: Dansforum Festival hosted by the local dance school, Viksjöforsbaletten. We create the entire performance during our one-week residency in Styggbo, share the stage with dance students from all over the world, and share a day of dance with the families of the local towns in this rural area of Sweden.
TAIWAN RESIDENCY
In 2018, we were invited by our resident Taiwanese artist, Wen-Jen Huang, and her company Seed Dance Company, to expand our residency platform to include a second annual meeting in Yanpu, Taiwan.
In Taiwan, our residency includes a broader pre-professional educational component with two master classes each day open to Taiwanese dance students and the creation of a performance for the local community.
The Taiwanese students have the opportunity to rehearse and perform with us, giving them the opportunity to work with professional choreographers from Europe, Japan, and the USA.
In January 2023 we expanded our Taiwan Residency program to include site-specific performances throughout the town of Yanpu and a Day of Dance community festival.
ATHENS UPCOMING RESIDENCY
We are planning and working hard at extending our residencies to Greece.
This project will be a chance for us to dive deeper into our movement research and expand our community with locals in Athens.
Our educational mission will be at the center of this residency to touch and share with local aspiring young dancers.
PREVIOUS EVENTS
MONO(FLOCK) : SEED DANCE COMPANY NEW CREATION
October 2024
Julia Ehrstrand has been commissionned in 2024 to create a new work “Mono(flock)” for SDC. French EDC member Aurelien Peillex is a guest dancer and is currently working with SDC dancers throughout the creation process. “Mono(flock)” will be presented in PingTung and Tainan city in October 2024.
RIVA - THE FAROESE DANCE COMPANY / EDC COLLABORATION
June 2022
The RIVA / EDC collaborative residency was held in June 2022 in Styggbo, Sweden, in further partnership with Viksjöforsbaletten. The residency allowed for deep movement exploration based on the Faroese myth "The Giant and the Hag." This research was used as inspiration for the creation of a new work based on the Swedish folklore tale "Hårgadansen". The 2-week creative residency culminated in a final performance open to the local community at Viksjöforsbaletten's outdoor stage.
TOKYO DANCE WORKS - JAPAN
January 2020
EDC artists Chiho and Yuriko (Japan) performed “Eyes Shut” (Choreography by Julia Ehrstrand) in Tokyo Dance Works in January 2020.
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ROTTERDAM INTERNATIONAL DUET CHOREOGRAPHY COMPETITION
2019
In 2019, EDC artists Suzuka and Yuriko (Japan) performed “Eyes Shut” (Choreography by Julia Ehrstrand) at the RIDCC international duet competition.
- FIDCDMX -
INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY DANCE FESTIVAL OF MEXICO CITY
August 2018
A one week residency culminating with a performance at teatro de la cuidad "Esperanza Iris".
A series of master classes at Black Studio Mexico
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BRYANT PARKÂ DANCE FESTIVALÂ
NEW YORK CITY
June 2018
Contemporary Dance festival at Bryant Park currated by Tiffany Rea-Fisher