VØLVE - a fusion dance project / by Dud Muurmand & community 2023

Special video release /Sept 2023 “VØLVE“ - a theatrical fusion dance project inspired by tales, history and art on the Norse VØLVE. Concept and project by Dud Muurmand and dancers from her PATREON online community. DANCERS (alphabetically): Alenka Neurand ........................... (Germany) Alexandra Müller-Buckhardt ........(Germany) Ali Bongers .................................. (Germany) Dud Muurmand ............................(Denmark) Hege Slettemås ...........................(Norway) Madeleine Holmlund ...................(Sweden) Nahid Safija ................................. (Germany) Neringa Jablonskyté Kelting ..... (Denmark) Artistic direction and video editing: Dud Muurmand Project leader: Dud Muurmand ABOUT THIS PROJECT: In the spring of 2023, Dud offered her Patreon dance community a class project with the theme of the Norse Vølve. The community is international, with dancers from different European countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Germany in this video) In this project the dancers could work together with Dud in the processes of creating a dramatic, storytelling dance piece with also theoretical source inputs from history, mythology, fiction work and other artistic interpretations. During 11 weeks, Dud would present creative dance classes (online) mixed with short lectures drawing from Norse Mythology, historical facts, other artistic/fictional interpretations of the Vølve/the Seeress, the possible functions, rituals and influence of the Vølve thru how to translate all this into dance moves, character creation and a dramatic set-up. During the process, the dancers was also given the homework task of going into nature to find their own “staff“, which has been used as a prop in the dance. **Important to notice is that the goal of this project has NOT been to create a historical re-enactment, but more to give inspiration on how to create our own artistic interpretation/ character presentation in dance. This is and has been a theatrical fusion dance project.** Once the dance project was finished, Dud invited the dancers to continue the work into a video project, where the dancers would step into the learning process of making a video performance/documentation. This included also creating costumes and make-up, finding filming spots in their own neighbourhoods and figuring out all the technical wonders of filming and afterwork. Each dancer have produced a solo video of themselves over the summer of 2023. Then beginning of September, the dancers was gathered on Zoom to do a joint online performance also to be filmed (yet another set of technical skills to be learned) This video is the artistic documentation of this huge and fantastic work these dancers have done over the period of 6 months. THANK YOU FROM DUD: I have been the artistic director and guide, but the dedication and eagerness from the dancers into this project, the process and the learning - has been so immense and intense, I cannot thank them enough for how beautiful and powerful this dance, this project, this video, this everything has turned out! And this thank you does not only apply to the 8 dancers in this video, but to all my Patrons who have participated in the project classes and supported me in doing these artistic project with all of you. ********** And the Vølve-project does not end here: On October 14 2023, this project will be presented on stage in the Uma Obscura festival in Sweden with 4 dancers (Alenka Neurand, Hege Slettemeås, Madeleine Holmlund & Dud Muurmand) - please check out The Vølve-project on Patreon: All the original 11 classes (including lectures and links to background material) of this project is still available as recordings on Dud’s Patreon until end of 2023 when you subscribe for monthly 95dkk VAT of your country. ***************** MUSIC: 1. Runahild: “Aurora“ LINK: 2. Paleowolf: “Call of Fire“ LINK: 3. Paleowolf: “Feral Spirit“ LINK 4. Runahild: “Seidrunar“ LINK: Music in video edited by Dud Muurmand Please support the music artists by buying their music and/or following their channels.