Project description
By Rumiko Otsuka – project leader, concept and choreography
Interdisciplinary Encounters for Inclusion and Community
I am developing a cultural production that aims to build inclusive and resilient communities by facilitating a series of creative encounters through artistic workshops with diverse target groups. Based in Malmö / Lund the project centres dance and movement expression as the foundation for interdisciplinary collaboration. I will work with a range of artists, including a choreographer, musician, theatre group, and poet, to co-create workshops that engage participants across different ages and social backgrounds.
The project will consist of four distinct encounters, each blending artistic disciplines, target groups, and intentions. The first encounter takes the form of an open rehearsal and dialogue session with choreographer Rani Nair, inviting audiences to step into her artistic process and reflect on contemporary dance. The following three encounters are designed as workshops that combine movement with theatre, poetry, and inclusive dance, offering participants direct opportunities for creative exploration and co-creation.
Together, these encounters create platforms for dialogue, co-creation, and reflection, using art as a catalyst for empathy, participation, and community-building.
Encounter 1: Open Rehearsal & Dialogue with Choreographer Rani Nair
This encounter offers audiences a unique opportunity to step into the artistic process of choreographer Rani Nair, whose work engages with decolonial practices and postcolonial aesthetics. Drawing from her Indian heritage, Rani uses dance to explore identity, history, and pressing social issues.
The session will take the form of an open rehearsal, where both professionals and non-professionals in the performing arts are invited to experience Rani’s new project in progress. Participants will be encouraged to share reflections, ask questions, and offer feedback that can inspire and influence the ongoing artistic work.
By opening up the rehearsal room, we aim to spark curiosity for contemporary dance, invite new audiences into the creative process, and foster mutual learning between artist and community. This encounter highlights how art can be a shared practice of dialogue and imagination, building stronger, more resilient cultural communities.
Encounter 2: Dance & Poetry with poet Jennifer McCormack
Workshop for adults
For this encounter, I am in the process of finding a poet or writer to collaborate with. The focus will be on combining poetry and movement to create a space where participants can explore themes of identity, community, and belonging.
The workshop is open to adults with no previous experience in writing or dance. Together, we will create a safe and welcoming space where participants can explore and express both personal and collective emotions through poetry and movement.
Participants will begin by writing their own poems, drawing from their lived experiences, dreams, anxieties, and hopes. From there, I will guide them in transforming their words into embodied expressions. Step by step, I will introduce accessible choreographic and compositional tools to help participants discover their own unique movement language. We will explore how to use different parts of the body, the space around and between us, as well as the dynamics, rhythm, and quality of movement.
Using imagination, sensory awareness, and improvisation, participants will build simple but meaningful movement phrases inspired by their poems – crafting what we call “poetry dances.” The process emphasizes play, curiosity, and deep listening to oneself and others.
Through this journey, we aim to show how poetry and dance can be powerful tools for reflection, storytelling, and connection. The presence of a poet will help support a collective atmosphere of vulnerability and courage, as we invite participants to speak and move with intention, care, and creativity.
Encounter 3: Wheelchair Dance with Memory Wax
Movement workshop for youth and adults who use wheelchairs In collaboration with Memory Wax
This workshop is a celebration of movement, creativity, and connection – designed for youth and adults who use wheelchairs and are curious about exploring dance together with others.
In collaboration with the Malmö-based company Memory Wax, known for its poetic and human-cantered approach to contemporary dance, this encounter will focus on accessibility, shared learning, and the joy of moving together. Dance offers a powerful way to build awareness of one’s own body, relate to others, and foster a caring, inclusive community.
The workshop will be co-created with Peder Nilsson, a former dancer with Skånes Dansteater, who has extensive experience working in inclusive dance projects involving wheelchair users. I will invite Peder to lead a preparatory session, sharing insights on accessibility, safety, creative methods, and the unique potential of dance in this context.
Together, we will design a movement workshop that is not only accessible but uplifting – emphasizing creativity, collaboration, and the belief that disability should never be a barrier to artistic expression. With music, improvisation, and guided exercises, we aim to spark joy, build confidence, and create meaningful connections through dance.
Encounter 4: Dance & Theatre
Workshop for youth (ages 14–18) In collaboration with Theatre In-Balance
Theatre In-Balance, founded in 2006 by director Mariana Araoz, works from a gender and diversity perspective to promote equality through unique theatrical methods such as mask, gesture, object theatre, and non-verbal communication.
In this encounter, I will collaborate with Mariana to create an expressive, movement-based workshop that introduces youth to physical storytelling through theatre and dance. We will explore improvisation and embodied exercises, using masks and gesture to express emotion, navigate relationships, and co-create short scenes.
Working with masks encourages deep physical engagement and heightened awareness of others – fostering empathy, collaboration, and the breaking down of social barriers. The workshop will culminate in a short performance piece, offering participants a sense of accomplishment and a shared experience of creative community.
Public Showings & Artistic Dialogues
After each creative encounter (workshops), we will host an informal public gathering – an evening of shared reflection, artistic discussion, and community-building. These sessions will include light refreshments and provide an open space for participants, collaborating artists, and invited guests to come together and reflect on the experience.
Each event will begin with a brief showing of the workshop outcomes – if participants feel comfortable – followed by a conversation about the creative process. We will discuss how the workshops were developed, how different artistic approaches came into play, and how the participants experienced the journey. The audience will be invited to share their impressions, ask questions, and offer feedback.
These gatherings are not formal performances, but rather relaxed and inclusive spaces where dialogue is central. Depending on the wishes of the group, the outcome may be shared as a performative piece, a reading, a movement demonstration, or simply through conversation.
The aim is to deepen understanding, create meaningful exchanges between artists and community members, and explore ideas for future development. These moments of sharing will also serve as a way to evaluate and reflect on the project, and to imagine how these artistic encounters might grow into new contexts, collaborations, and forms.
Evaluation & Future Promotion
Throughout the project, I will document the process in both written and filmed formats to support ongoing development and future iterations. A short trailer will be produced to highlight the essence of the workshops, which can be used to promote the project to municipalities and cultural institutions in the region and beyond. All documentation will be made available on my website, making it easily accessible for potential collaborators, partners, and organizers interested in hosting or adapting the project in their own contexts.
Target group
The main target group for my project is youth and adults aged 14 and up. Through inclusive marketing and outreach, I aim to attract participants from diverse backgrounds — in terms of culture, language, profession, and age. The goal is to create mixed groups where different perspectives enrich the creative process, foster collaboration, and cultivate greater sensitivity and fellowship. For the wheelchair dance workshop, I specifically invite both wheelchair users and nonwheelchair users to participate together. By mixing abilities, we expand our creative possibilities and encourage mutual learning. This inclusive approach fosters empathy, care, and a deeper understanding of the lived experiences and challenges faced by people who use wheelchairs.
Time Line
April-August Preparation (fundraising, meetings with collaborators, finding sponsors, etc.)
September-November
Week 36-39 Preparation
Finalise schedule, book studio times, arrange film/photo shooting dates.
Start marketing campaign, contact local newspapers/radio, contact organisations and schools to gain workshop audiences, write contracts for collaborators
Week 40 Preparation Encounter-1. Rumiko&Rani. Preparation for the open rehearsals and Marketing.
Week 41 Execute Encounter-1. Rumiko&Rani Public showing and evaluation. Photo/film shooting.
Week 42 Preparation Encounter-2. Research Rumiko & Poet. Marketing.
Week 43 Execute workshop-2. Rumiko & Poet. Public showing and evaluation. Photo/film shooting.
Week 44 Preparation Encounter-3. Research Rumiko, Peder & Memory Wax. Marketing.
Week 45 Execute Encounter-3. Rumiko & Memory Wax. Public showing and evaluation. Photo/film shooting.
Week 46 Evaluation. (Send out surveys to collaborators and participants, financial report, send report to funders, prepare for further promotion.)
Week 47 Preparation Encounter-4. Research Rumiko & Mariana. Marketing.
Week 48 Execute Encounter-4. Rumiko & Mariana. Public showing and evaluation. Photo/film shooting.
Week 49-50 Evaluation. (Send out surveys to collaborators and participants, financial report, send report to funders, prepare for further promotion. )
RUM I DANS 