The Performing Arts Research and Training Studios (P.A.R.T.S.) is an agile and independent school for contemporary dance dedicated to developing educational programs for dancers and choreographic artists alike. Its mission is centred around providing a diverse array of tools, experiences, and insights to foster an open, creative and critical mindset and practice. By engaging with this learning environment, participants enhance their skills and are prepared to actively contribute to the ever-evolving ecosystems of contemporary dance and choreography.
In order to realise this ambition:
→ we foreground the transmission and development of dance craftsmanship in a collective setting;
→ we foster a creative studio practice through encounters with a variety of composition tools and → other disciplines such as music and theatre;
→ we install a research culture by nurturing critical consciousness and promoting reflective practices through seminars, writing and embodied research;
→ we stimulate personal articulation, empowering participants to express themselves within a broad range of artistic settings and to explore new horizons and perspectives.
Our pedagogical model draws inspiration from a living artistic practice that continually transforms. It is rooted in Western contemporary dance and the vision and artistic practice of its founder Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker. The programmes embrace diverse influences from both within and beyond the contemporary dance realm, brought forth by our international community of teachers and students. The school is strongly anchored in the stimulating artistic context of Brussels and operates resolutely internationally from the outset.
Recognizing dance as a collective endeavour, P.A.R.T.S. seeks to create temporary communities of students, teachers, and staff from diverse cultural and social backgrounds. Exchanging different perspectives is a fundamental part of the learning process. For everyone involved, learning at P.A.R.T.S. is also a horizontal activity that promotes social consciousness, equality, informed world views, reflexivity, and a sense of shared responsibility for one another.