The Apple of my Eye

The project:

The apple of my eye

– is the title of two teaching weeks which took place in weeks 28 and 29, summer 2021, at Egmont Højskolen I Hou.

The teaching consisted of dance / movement, body-work, choreography, dance theory and a trip to Norsminde Applefarm, where we studied dance, movement and sensing, in and with nature.

The participants, who were aged 13-75, were given the task; To inquire on what was their ‘Apple of their eye’ according to the summer, the course and the dance lessons, -to keep the focus on how we see, experience and receive impressions.

By the end of each week, the dancers performed ‘The apple of my eye’, where the other participants in the course were the audience. The audience was eventually invited to dance. We were so privileged to have live music for both performances.

In collaboration with Nicola Visser, the Association for Integrated Modern Dance in Denmark (FIMD) developed ‘The apple of my eye’, our first House Artist project.

It was a glorious and intense experience, which we are happy to have spread to about 400 people, who now know that there is an art form in Denmark as integrated dance!

Statements:

Rasmus Schmidt, Teacher at Egmont Højskolen:
Very touching and inclusive performance that got all the students to participate. I was left with chills and the belief that dance is for everyone.

Line, mum of a boy with special needs, (has participated in the family week several summers in a row):
I stood watching the beautiful and fascinating dance performance as the dancers moved from the bridge and onto the beach, and suddenly tears streamed down my cheeks. The spoken words along with the music and the dance was the epitome of beauty, sensuality, togetherness and love. That is what life is about. Interpersonal contact, reciprocity and connectedness. For me, it was so life-affirming how people through dance on many levels can move no matter different levels of functioning.