WereldDansWerkPlaats
Learn, experiment, connect and visualize
To visualize dance styles from all over the world, that’s where the WereldDansWerkPlaats is aiming to make a difference.
The Hague is a city proud of its diversity, also a wide range of groups inspired by arts from all corners of the world together performing a sheer richness of dance styles: Indian dance, African dance, flamenco, tango, belly dance, salsa and Javanese, Chinese and Surinamese dance arts. The Hague also has an upcoming urban dance scene that mixes its own traditions with newfound inspiration from elsewhere. The different dancers and choreographers want to perform their type of dance in the best ways possible. They strive to show it in its fullest and most accomplished forms possible to their audiences. But unfortunately, these types of dance styles are still largely unknown to lots of people. They are not shown on stage or seen in mainstream theatres. These dancers and choreographers also have fewer opportunities and resources to develop their dance repertory. WereldDansWerkPlaats wants to make a difference!
The WereldDansWerkPlaats is currently managed by the Monsoon Foundation, an organisation that also has accomplished different yet related projects, including:
- Dance Classes, such as Indian Dance by Monsoon
- Festivals, like Global Dance Festival
- Productions, like Dragon’s Child
- Talent Development, like workshops and courses
TEAM
Executive: Jolanda Boejharat
Production: Nina van Meerten
Publicity: Kaan Bolat
MANAGEMENT
Ir. Swati Sen Gupta
Drs. Patricia Dekker
Prof. Dr. Bart Barendregt
Jolanda Boejharat – Jolanda is the founder of WereldDansWerkPlaats. She is a key figure in the classical, folk and contemporary dance scene in the Netherlands. Jolanda for long has fought to get global dance styles recognised also in mainstream theatres throughout the Netherlands. She is herself an experienced dancer, and for years has performed as a choreographer, teacher and speaker addressing various aspects of the world dance scene.
‘’Dance is a universal language and has the power to connect people”
Jolanda for four years has worked for Culturalis, an organisation that advocated the interests of amateur arts organisations to next work for Cultuurschakel a similar organisation where she also worked for four years being a dance consultant operating at the interface between amateur and professional arts. Working for the latter organisation she initiated the Seven Sees Festival, for which she also was the project manager. Jolanda Boejharat also acted as the project manager for some long term production including “Made in Turkey”, a production about dance and Turkish-Dutch identities. Within this project, amateur artists combined Turkish folk dance and Turkish hip hop. Also, professional dancers from the Netherlands and Turkey have been involved in Made in Turkey.
Classical dance, folk dance, contemporary dance and other types of dance and related music performances from all over the world are Jolanda Boejharat’s things. It is important for Jolanda that art and culture are accessible for everyone.
Jolanda’s wish is to bring culturally diverse groups together and help them to realise their full creative potential. She believes everyone to be talented and everyone should be able and given the opportunity to fully realise that talent. This is also the larger mission of the WereldDansWerkPlaats.
Moreover, Jolanda Boejharat is the coordinator and a teacher of the Indian Dance School Monsoon.