We are delighted to announce a new chapter in our ongoing partnership with Dance Base, Scotland’s national centre for dance. For the first time this year, our joint Trad Dance Residency is part of Pomegranates Festival – Scotland’s festival of international traditional dance. This professional development opportunity for dance artists based in Scotland reflects our shared belief that traditional dance practice is a central part of our ever-evolving intangible cultural heritage. To nourish the continuation and exploration of trad dance practices from across the world, together we co-fund a week-long Trad Dance Residency at Dance Base through an open call, which in 2024 was awarded to Marianella Desanti. Previous residents include Mairi Campbell and Kalubi Mukengela–Jacoby. This year the residency runs from 22-26 April 2024 as an integral part of Pomegranates. The sharing will be accompanied by live music and followed by a post-sharing feedback session and a pomegranate cocktails reception.

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Trad Dance Residency Sharing | Friday 26 April 17:30 – 19:00 

Dance Base | 14-16 Grassmarket, Edinburgh EH1 2JU 

Pay What You Can | £5, £10, £15 or… 

BOOK NOW

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Join us for the residency sharing and witness Scottish dance artist Marianella Desanti explore her Costa Rican heritage through Dorita – a work-in-progress celebrating life and death. It is inspired by Central American traditional dance, including La Danza de la Muerte (Dance of the Death). Experience the fusion of cultures manifested in the Latin rituals of prayer, the creation of altars, music and dance. See how the dance captures the last days of Dorita, a Costa Rican grandmother at the end of her life who asks her granddaughter to light a candle so that when she should die, she would not have to pass in darkness. It is a celebration of life through honouring death.

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In the words of our resident artist:

“La Danza de la Muerte is a dance of grief, remembrance and moving into the light. It is about acknowledging the pain of the past and the loss of those that we have loved, and through movement verbalise the struggle of these very human emotions. Through this residency, I hope to explore the movement of traditional Latin American dance and allow it to merge intuitively with my classical ballet formation. As a mature ballerina, my body has to rediscover new sequences, patterns and rhythms of movement. I wish to expand my repertoire to include this dance language which takes me back to my childhood in Costa Rica, as I transform into this older Edinburgh dancer and move into my future. I also wish to further explore the healing power of dancing through grief. Dance allows the exploration of human emotion in its rawest form. Aboriginal Costa Ricans preserved La Danza de la Muerte as it was a medium to overcome the paralysing pain of loss during the genocide of Spanish colonialism. Through dance they survived and preserved the memory of their lost ones. I wish to preserve this cultural heritage as well, and explore its potential to support mental health and to share this gift of healing dance with my community in Edinburgh.” Marianella Desanti

Marianella Desanti is a dancer and choreographer based in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Marianella’s work is a constant exploration of how dance transcends barriers, heals the mind and body, preserves our stories, and brings communities together. Desanti gathers inspiration from personal narratives, the environment, and cultures. Each one of her dance pieces embodies a life experience, inspired by collaborations with artists from around the world. Further details about Marianella’s practice: www.marianelladesanti.com Follow the artist on Instagram: @marianelladesantiballet

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Established in 2022, Pomegranates is Scotland’s springtime festival sowing the seeds of Scottish and international traditional dance across the country. Initiated and curated by the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland in partnership with TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland), Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh City Libraries, Dance Base and the Scottish Storytelling Centre. This year, the festival season features artists’ residencies and social dance sessions, exhibitions and tours, shows and workshops, plus our first Pomegranates Family Sunday. Further details at https://linktr.ee/pomegranatesfest

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Featured images of Marianella Desanti by Duncan McGlynn and Jia Mackenzie