International Dance Day (1982 - )

Gould, Ross: Dancer from Bangarra Dance Theatre in 'Fish', Ausdance Dance Week launch, Canberra, 1998

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In 1982 the International Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute (ITI), UNESCO, initiated International Dance Day to be celebrated every year on the 29th of April. The date commemorates the birth of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810), the French dancer and ballet master whose treatise Lettres sur la danse et les ballets is a foundation text for the study of the development of dance.

The intention of International Dance Day, as outlined by the International Dance Committee of ITI, is 'to bring all Dance together on this occasion, to celebrate this art form and revel in its universality, to cross all political, cultural and ethnic barriers and bring people together in peace and friendship with a common language – dance'.

A feature of the day is the circulation around the world of a message from a well-known dance personality. Prominent individuals who have provided International Dance Day messages include Henrik Neubauer (1982), Merce Cunningham (1990), Maurice Bejart (1997), Katherine Dunham (2002), and Mats Ek (2003). In 2004 the International Dance Day message was given by Australian dancer, choreographer and director Stephen Page. Page said:

'Dance is the original most ancient form of human expression. Through the body and physical language, dance has a powerful connection with the emotional and spiritual worlds. In traditional Aboriginal culture, dance is the core, like a kind of sacred medicine. Dance is grounded, connected to the spirit of Mother Earth. Unless you surrender to the dance you can't hunt quietly. It is an integral part of human existence. When I create a new dance work I ask the dancers to swallow and digest the traditional seed, to sense the innate code within so that we can transform the traditional essence to the contemporary world. Dance is the universal language. It represents human identity and a celebration of the human spirit. Dance is the artistic heart of kinship. It is a sacred universal remedy.'

The International Theatre Institute (ITI), an international non-governmental organization (NGO), was founded in Prague in 1948 by UNESCO and members of the international theatre community. In 1995, in an effort to unite dance, the International Dance Committee, ITI – UNESCO, entered into a collaborative effort for the celebration of International Dance Day with World Dance Alliance.

In Australia International Dance Day is commemorated within Ausdance Australian Dance Week – a week long celebration that 'raises the profile, and focuses on the values, importance, and the many cultural contributions of dance to the Australian community'.

See also: Page, Stephen

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Research Materials

Website

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Other resources

Find more about International Dance Day in:

• Internet - Google
• Articles - New York Public Library Dance Collection
• Pictures - Picture Australia