‘There’s nothing more enriching than hearing other perspectives’
When Aude Waumans auditioned for the Bachelor’s programme Artisteducator in Dance at ArtEZ, she was still torn between a performance-focused dance programme and a teacher training programme. In the end, she chose the combination. ‘I immediately got the feeling here that whatever you want to become is okay. You can find your own path in the dance world. I really liked that.’ She is now in her third year. She has completed an internship in Tanzania, taken part in an international exchange in Denmark, and is increasingly discovering what kind of maker and educator she wants to be.
Nine weeks of dancing in Tanzania
Within the programme, students work on three areas: Dance Practice, Learning Practice, and Artistic Practice. It is particularly within the latter that students are increasingly given the freedom to pursue their own projects and interests. For Aude, that meant travelling to Tanzania for nine weeks. ‘I really wanted to gain more perspectives than the predominantly Western perspectives I’m familiar with.’
Together with a fourth-year student, she reached out to dance programmes and organisations in Tanzania herself. Eventually, they ended up at a three-year dance programme in Dar es Salaam, where students between the ages of nineteen and twenty-six study both traditional and contemporary dance. ‘We immediately felt comfortable there. They were very open to the exchange.’
During her internship, Aude taught contemporary dance and floorwork classes, while taking traditional dance classes herself. Together, they created a performance through co-creation. ‘I really went there with the intention of learning from them. Not just to come there and teach them something. I wanted to learn how they view dance, how they approach creative processes, and how dance is experienced there.’
‘Dance is simply part of the culture there’
‘In Tanzania, people really live for dance. Here in the Netherlands, we often have a fairly down-to-earth view of dance and mainly see it as a leisure activity. But there, it’s truly part of the culture. You can really feel their pride when you’re there. Students dance together from early in the morning until late at night. It’s genuinely part of their daily lives. For them, dancing together is actually similar to how we might spend time with friends in our free time.’
‘But I also saw how different the way of teaching could be there. They were very used to doing what the teacher says and executing it exactly as instructed.’ That made one particular moment stay with her. ‘During a joint co-creation, I asked the students to put their own ideas and identity into the piece. We said: we want to see you on stage. Afterwards, a few students said: “I’m so proud that this came from all of our minds.” That’s when I thought: yes, this is exactly why I came here.’
Creating, performing, and teaching at the same time
That broad way of working is exactly why Aude feels so at home within the programme. ‘I don’t think you’re ever just a dancer. You’re also a maker, performer, and entrepreneur. Everything strengthens each other.’ Students choose new classes every nine weeks and gradually build their own path. ‘Some people focus more on education, while others lean more towards performance or making. There isn’t one type of student here. Everyone interprets the role of an artist educator in their own way.’
Aude herself realised during a performance assignment that dance had become more than just movement for her. ‘For a dance theatre class, I created a solo that became much more personal and emotional than I had expected beforehand. I was really pushed out of my comfort zone to perform that solo on stage. The reactions afterwards surprised me. Some people told me that my performance had moved them. I thought it was so beautiful to hear that I could draw people into what I create. That’s when I knew for sure that I also want to move something in people.’
International projects and following your own path
Outside of Tanzania, Aude also had plenty of opportunities to work internationally. ‘Through an exchange project, I worked with dance pedagogy students from Stockholm and students from the conservatory in Aarhus, Denmark. Together, we gave workshops, created presentations, and explored how different countries approach arts education. I gave a presentation there about stepping outside your comfort zone and how, as an artist educator, you can help others do the same. I realised then how important it is to take people along with you and create a safe space where they dare to try.’
According to Aude, this is exactly what makes the programme special. ‘If you really want to do something and feel a sense of urgency about it, the programme is open to that. All students follow their own path. One person creates a performance, another organises a festival or works in schools. I don’t know exactly what my future will look like yet, but one thing is certain: I want to keep travelling. I want to keep learning from other people and other cultures. As human beings, we all have so many blind spots. There’s nothing more enriching than hearing other perspectives.’