The 11th Valencia Danza International Campus got underway this morning. It is being organised by the Mediterranean Dance and Art Association (ADAM), in collaboration with the Hortensia Herrero Foundation, and being held amid strict health measures due to the Covid-19 crisis. As a result, this year the Campus has been affected both in the number of students per class (to ensure interpersonal distance is maintained in each of the classes) and in the classes on offer, since the 4th International Contemporary Dance Workshop, which had been so successful in previous years, has been cancelled.
This year, this dance meeting will involve a total of 70 students from all over Spain and it will end on 21 August. The venue, as usual, will be the La Petxina Cultural and Sports Complex.
The Valencia Danza International Campus is a gathering of dance students and professional dancers led by the Valencian Gema Casino Penalba which this year celebrates its eleventh edition and is once again over subscribed, especially in a year in which the capacity has been reduced to almost half as compared to previous years, due to the limitations caused by the Covid-19 health crisis.
In this context, the campus management has implemented a protocol specifically aimed at shielding, as far as possible, all the students and teachers. In addition to the mandatory use of masks, there will be hydroalcoholic gel available in strategic locations around the La Petxina Cultural and Sports Centre, cleaning will be increased in all the facilities and participants’ and professionals’ temperature will be monitored at least twice a day. Use of the cafeteria will also be staggered to avoid overcrowding and this morning, before classes began, all those attending received a talk with health and safety advice, especially focused on preventing transmission.
The Valencia Danza International Campus consists of eleven workshops at which students immerse themselves in dance in the magnificent setting of the La Petxina Complex. Thanks to this Campus, the young dancers are able to both improve their technique and work on extracts of pieces by internationally renowned choreographers. The programme includes classes in physical preparation, classical dance, men’s technique, tip technique, classical repertoire and workshops by prestigious choreographers including Nacho Duato and Juanjo Arqués.
The team of professionals headed by Gema Casino comprises José Carlos Blanco, Fabrice Edelmann, Luis Gadea, Ana Gonzaga and John Polo, all of them major figures in the dance world who have pursued their training and professional careers as dancers and teachers in prestigeous international companies and schools.
The Hortensia Herrero Foundation is collaborating with the Campus. Once again, the foundation has awarded a training scholarship to 15 young Valencian dancers.
