Exchanging Culture, Step by Step

The International Dance Festival New Orleans Returns

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In 2018, shortly after Leslie Scott’s contemporary dance organization BODYART expanded from Los Angeles to New Orleans, it premiered the multimedia production of hymn+them at Hotel Peter & Paul. The work is a feminist take on the Wizard of Oz that, through dance and integrated media, explores the oft-romanticized identity of the American woman, and it has had a much longer life than Scott ever imagined. 

Later this month, six years since its premier, an excerpt of hymn+them will return to Hotel Peter & Paul as part of BODYART’s second annual International Dance Festival. “It’s really come full circle,” said Scott. 

The piece itself played an integral part in the conception of the festival itself; in 2022 (after years of pandemic-related delays) BODYART took hymn+them on tour to Chile as part of an exchange with two arts organizations there, Cooperativa Corredor de Danza Valparíso and Centro de Experimentación Escénica. The experience brought Scott to contemplate ways in which traditional international tours can often suffer from extractionary, colonial formats in which American dance companies arrive, enjoy the landscape and culture, perform, and then leave, never to be seen again. “It became really important to me to keep at the forefront that as much as we want to share our art, it does need to be a cultural conversation and exchange,” said Scott. “Like, what does cross collaboration actually look like? How can we reach each other’s communities and support one another?” 

Upon returning from the tour, the team at BODYART thought about ways to bring the Chilean dance companies they had partnered with to New Orleans, to offer them a platform here. “And New Orleans being such a big festival city, it seemed like the way to go,” said Scott, who herself has decades of experience producing and participating in dance festivals across the globe. “And in terms of contemporary international dance festivals in this format—New Orleans didn’t have that yet.” 

In its second iteration, the International Dance Festival New Orleans will once again bring together dancers from the world over to New Orleans. It will also showcase the work of artists working to share multi-cultural dance traditions here in New Orleans—including Nicole Golden, founder of the Cuban dance organization Dile Que NOLA and Kai Knight, who dances with the Kumbuka African Drum and Dance Collective and Bamboula 2000 Band. 

“There are not a ton of opportunities for local artists to present themselves in shared evenings in town,” said Scott. “I love bringing artists together, because it always sparks that light you don’t even expect. It’s an opportunity to make space for artists to share their work and be in conversation with artists from another part of the country or globe, which can spark new conversations and friendships and potential collaborations.” 

The festival format includes a schedule of performances, master classes, and facilitated community conversations—and this year will include the first ever Dance Film Festival. Scott, whose research and teaching practice as a professor at Tulane University is at the intersection of dance and media, wanted to provide an opportunity for dance-for-camera projects. “It’s a newer art form, but because of the pandemic I think it’s really increased in recent years as people are looking for platforms to share our work,” she said. After putting out the call for submissions, BODYART found themselves with hundreds of submissions from over thirty countries. Nine of those will be screened at the Broad Theater as part of the festival on Saturday; and a larger selection will be available via an online screening option as well. “It was really wonderful to see the outpouring of interest,” said Scott. 

After BODYART’s performance of hymn+them at the International Dance Festival this year, it will be put to stage one final time in January in Chile, as part of the organization’s continued exchange with Cooperativa Corredor de Danza Valparíso and Centro de Experimentación Escénica. From New Orleans, to Chile, back home, and back to Chile again—with new ideas and friends and opportunities in tow—“This is probably the end of this work, how it will close out for now; and it’s bittersweet but also really satisfying,” said Scott. “It’s just kind of tying it up in a way that makes me very grateful.” 

The International Dance Festival will take place September 12–15 at venues throughout New Orleans. Weekend passes are $100, and include access to all performances, masterclasses, and community conversations. The event, classes and all, is open and accessible to professional and amateur dancers alike. More info at idfnola.com.