A




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Handbook AT



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Dancing Heritages:

Co-creating Events of Practice – Handbook



Edited by: Anja Serec Hodžar, Tone Erlien Myrvold, Mieke Witkamp,

Debora Plouy



Design and layout: Darja Klančar, www.darkadesign.si



Proofreading: Theresa Jill Buckland



Issued by: ZRC SAZU, Institute of Ethnomusicology



Represented by: Mojca Kovačič



Publisher: ZRC SAZU, Založba ZRC



Represented by: Oto Luthar



Editor-in-chief of Založba ZRC: Aleš Pogačnik



First e-edition.



Ljubljana, 2025



The issue was published within the EU project Dance as ICH: New Models of Facilitating Participatory Dance Events (Dance—ICH, Project No. 101056200),

co-funded by the European Union, Creative Europe programme.



Dance—ICH project partners: ASTRA National Museum Complex, CEMPER Centre for Music and Performing Arts Heritage in Flanders, Hellenic Folklore Research Centre of the Academy of Athens (HFRC–AA), Museums of Southern Trøndelag (MiST), School of Physical Education and Sport Science of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA–SPESS), Slovene Ethnographic Museum (SEM), Norwegian Centre for Traditional Music and Dance (Sff), Hungarian Open Air Museum (SKANZEN), Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (ZRC SAZU)

The terms of the Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International License apply to the freely available online version of the first e-edition:

https://doi.org/10.3986/9789610510611



Kataložna zapisa o publikaciji (CIP) pripravili v

Narodni in univerzitetni knjižnici v Ljubljani

COBISS.SI-ID 255084035

ISBN 978-961-05-1061-1 (PDF)





INDEX




04 Introduction



07 Norway



14 Slovenia / Slovene Ethnographic Museum



20 Romania



26 Hungary



32 Slovenia / ZRC SAZU



39 Greece



46 Conclusion



48 Guidelines





INTRODUCTION




Tone Erlien Myrvold Over the course of the project Dance as ICH: New models of facilitating

Anja Serec Hodžar participatory dance events (Dance–ICH), we have journeyed across Europe

Mieke Witkamp — from Norway and Belgium to Slovenia, Romania, Hungary, Greece, —

engaging with a rich diversity of dance traditions, communities, and practices.

This initiative has not only brought together cultural heritage institutions,

researchers, and artists, but most importantly, it has fostered deep

collaborations with communities, inviting them to become co-creators in the

safeguarding process.



At the heart of our work is a paradigm shift: moving from viewing intangible

cultural heritage (hereafter ICH) as something to be demonstrated, to

something to be lived, shared, and co-created. We have explored how museums

and cultural institutions can serve as active facilitators — not just presenters —

of living traditions. By transforming these institutions into meeting places,

they become spaces of participation, inclusion, and empowerment, where

traditional knowledge is transmitted through embodied learning, involvement,

and dialogue.



The local and regional experiments in this handbook, show how active

participation fosters a stronger sense of ownership over tradition. This

ownership is essential to the sustainable transmission of ICH, especially in

contemporary societies facing cultural, social, and financial challenges.



Rather than building from scratch, we have demonstrated how existing

networks, venues, and relationships can be activated and reimagined to sustain

dance as a vital and vibrant part of community life. We’ve observed a common

thread: when institutions listen, co-create, and empower, cultural practices

thrive.



The project has also advanced our understanding of sustainable safeguarding

models for ICH. We have tested and documented participatory approaches

that are both locally adaptable and globally relevant. Our toolbox — including a

handbook, guidelines, exhibitions, and a transnational network — aim to equip



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 4



professionals, policymakers, and communities with helped the dance communities in various ways to

practical tools for future initiatives. continue their practices by finding new opportunities



This work directly supports several for both transmission and raising awareness. Sustainable

Development Goals: In this toolbox we discuss and draws six different



SDG 4: Quality education through heritage learning, paintings of why and how museums and cultural

heritage institutions should play a part in future

SDG 10: Social and political inclusion, sustainable structures for safeguarding dance as living

SDG 11: Stronger, more resilient communities through heritage.



culture, This sustainable structure called events of practice

SDG 17: Effective partnerships across sectors and exhibition should therefore encompass more than

borders. the events themselves. Firstly, these events should



By placing dance participation at the centre — not be recurrent and embedded in a permanent space.

as a spectacle, but as a Secondly, they should entail a facilitator in the role shared practice — we not

only ensure its transmission, but also build bridges of a supporter, in line with the principles for adaptive

between generations, disciplines, and social groups. management to ensure long-term viability, and

The methodologies developed emphasize bottom-up recognition of value. A cultural institution and its living

engagement, co-ownership, and cultural brokering, heritage facilitators can help the dance community

in line with the principles of the 2003 UNESCO by promoting and incorporating their practices into

Convention. an organizational system, without interfering with the

execution of the intangible heritage practices itself.

We introduce a new concept. Events of practice For future and continuing research, it will be obviously

exhibition. This concept explores how to use the important to research these methods over time, in

local communities’ dance concepts, viewpoints and different contexts, and to question the distribution

participation to disseminate living dance heritage and of roles in co-creative processes and the sustainable

make it relevant to the museum audience. structures when it comes to funding and resources.



It is the sum of co-created exhibition elements, The individual case studies are presented in separate

curated dance events, events of practice (dance) and the chapters, organised according to the core activity

dialogue between the exhibited elements, the dancing of each project partner – ranging from classical

and the dancers. museums to open-air museums, research institutes and

The events of practice exhibition concept is the

combination of and connection between the dance

content and elements exhibited, curated dance events,

events of practice, the dance community, the audience

and the museum professional. These are the pieces

of the puzzle that must be intentionally aligned to

achieve the sustainable goal of supporting safeguarding

of dancing in a museum space. The events of practice

exhibition concept has through its six exhibitions and

case studies that you can read about in this handbook



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 5



universities. To ensure clarity and comparability, each





chapter follows the same structure. The subchapters


are: Introduction; Our community; Methodology;

Outcomes, solutions, audience; Reflections, challenges,

benefits for all involved. Through the project activities,

we have found that there are different understandings

of individual terms among experts and researchers.

Therefore, five key terms are listed for each case study,

explaining how they are understood by those who have

dealt with the individual case study. These terms are

co-creation, facilitator, participatory, transmission

and community. We chose to present these different

interpretations because, even though we work in the

same cultural field and within a European context,

words still carry different meanings across our

five countries. This reflects linguistic, cultural, and

institutional differences. Rather than forcing a single

definition, we see this diversity as enriching and

essential for meaningful European collaboration.



We invite you to reflect on these models, challenge

them, expand them — and take them further. We are

not only discussing dance. We are discussing how

communities and institutions can collaborate to build

a sustainable future for our shared, living cultural

heritage.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 6





NORWAY




Tone Erlien Myrvold Introduction

Two Norwegian project partners cooperate in this case study, both located in

Trondheim, Norway.



The Norwegian Centre for Traditional Music and Dance (hereafter Sff), as

accredited UNESCO NGO for the 2003 ICH convention, shall promote,

safeguard and transmit Norwegian traditional music and dance as an expression

of cultural identity with unique qualities. The other partner, the national music

museums, part of The Museums of Southern Trøndelag (hereafter MiST), is

one of Norway’s largest cultural institutions. Rockheim – museum for popular

music, and Ringve Music Museum have been assigned a national responsibility

for documenting and communicating the Norwegian musical heritage across

a broad spectrum of genres. This includes responsibility for Norwegian

music history and musical instruments, as well as for the management and

dissemination of Norway’s tangible, intangible and digital musical cultural

heritage.



Through its 50-year experience in community involvement, Sff has developed a

methodological ideology to include the practitioners of ICH in transmission of

dance knowledge, development of safeguarding concepts, networking, and co-

creation of a folk dance and folk music archive and its dissemination.



Rockheim and Ringve, as part of MiST, work extensively with school programmes

and serve a broad range of public events every year. The museums value the

happiness and laughter they see in their dancing audience and how different

styles of music relate to body movements and dance styles. Dance is a natural

part of music, and vice versa. Therefore, dance as living heritage has taken place

at the museums for a long time.



Our target group is the dance community in Trondheim that still practise,

through dancing and playing traditional instruments, the common dance party

dance repertoire from our region. Local dance parties in Trondheim and the



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 7

Photo 1. Event of practice



exhibition "Gammel Groove".

Rockheim Museum,

Trondheim, Norway, 2024.

Photo: Jana Pavlova.



area around have been a natural meeting place for a century. Supporting the

needs for these communities to reach out to new practitioners and audience is

an important objective for this project, resulting in sustainable events of practice

exhibitions that can continue as meeting places for transmission of dancing as

living heritage.



Our community

In Norway dance heritage communities are very small in their local communities,

but are often part of a wider regional community. Our community is a

combination of different groups and dance genres, but they fall under the label

Trøndersk gammaldans.



These dance communities in Trondheim and the surrounding area practise

a combination of traditional folk dances such as waltz, reinlender (schottis),

mazurka, polka, the village dance from our region: pols, and the Norwegian

forms of swing dance, foxtrot, slow, and one step; dances that people have

danced over the last centuries and still dance today. In our participant group we

count members from 15 different organizations, and several single enthusiasts

that play an important role for the traditional dance and music practices in the

present.



These dances, folk dances and swing, continue to be practiced today in dance

groups that rehears informally once a week. The dance communities express

that the present situation with few good, informal, intergenerational meeting

arenas for dance parties is a common challenge. Dance parties, both informal

and advertised parties, have for decades been an arena mostly for the elder



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 8

generations and with an outspoken lack of relevant and popular bands playing, gathering many hundreds of

meeting places for dancing among the younger dancers, both young and old. Documentation of both

generations. fieldwork, co-creative meetings and dancing assembled



In the exhibition our community is promoted by rich and fruitful material to be used for exhibition,

intergenerational dance parties, and it shows special research and transmission.

attention towards children and youths. This is often

encouraging for recruiting new members to the Photo 2. Meeting with dance instructors. Rockheim Museum, heritage communities. Both Ringve/Rockheim and Trondheim, Norway, 2024. Photo: Jana Pavlova.

Sff have experienced that the younger age groups are



splendid target groups for inclusion, representativeness

and diversity. In addition, students and young adults

are also in need for meeting places for inclusion and

belonging after the corona pandemic.



Methodology

The two Norwegian partners in this project aimed to

cooperate to implement a focus project that includes

a fieldwork period followed by a co-creative process

with the dance community in Trondheim. The chosen

dance community consists of all groups, individuals and



musical bands and voluntary associations within the

genres of gammeldans and swing.



After a digital survey was sent to our chosen dance

community in Trondheim, a total of 15 dance groups

and musical bands were included in our two-month

fieldwork and six-month long co-creational work

with the community. Through four larger meetings

at the museums and transparent sharing of findings

and results from interviews and group work, we had

the opportunity to discuss and vote around three

important topics. These were: 1. Who are you and Photo 3. Dance course. Rockheim Museum, Trondheim, Norway, 2024.

your organization? 2. How can we help you? and 3. Photo: Jana Pavlova.

Let’s dream together. Consequently, the attendees

exchanged ideas and shared their experience to

develop more ideas for the fieldwork and co-creative

process over the following months.



All meetings were followed by dance parties for

everyone to join, free of charge, and with live music



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 9

Outcomes, solutions, audience

During the fieldwork and co-creative process with the community, there were

some common issues and goals identified:



1. The need for arenas/meeting places for dancing across the different

community groups.



2. A dance house in Trondheim that makes arrangements for dancing easier for

all dance communities.



3. Good instructors and more educated instructors.



4. Good music, both live and digital for teaching.



5. The community wants to recruit and grow in numbers.



6. Work to improve the structures for more music and dance in schools and

cultural schools (for children after school hours), through cooperation with the

voluntary community.



7. How to improve the economy in the voluntary communities and benefit the

good synergies with institutional cooperation?



8. How to arrange events for visibility and popularity, visibility in marketing and

knowledge and awareness raising for the general public?



Photo 4. School tour.



Nypvang skole, Trondheim,

Norway, 2025.

Photo: Nypvang skole.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 10

Photo 5. Event of



practice exhibition.

"Ungdommelig dansefest".

Rockheim Museum,

Trondheim, Norway, 2024.

Photo: Celina Gallo.



With these as starting points, co-owned suggestions with the dance and music

community were made. These key initiatives were implemented by establishing

a coordination platform, organizing large-scale dance events with notable

musicians, and creating long-term meeting places with live music and mixed

dance styles that eventually will lead into a community-based dance house

in Trondheim. The project also emphasizes education, with dance and music

workshops for teachers, students, and community organizations. Plans include

school tours with young instructors, school dance packages, and training for

student instructors.



We aimed for a well-planned implementation through shared ownership for

the outcomes and results, where the community leaders are heard before and

during the planning and implementation of the measures concerning the key

initiatives. This resulted in three large dance weekends at Rockheim, including

seminars, dance parties with top dance musicians, dance instructor courses, and

courses in dancing for teachers and kindergarten teachers. We have carried out

school tours, become involved in marketing traditional dance and music during

the World Championship in Nordic genres (Skiing), and represented the wishes

and needs of the community in meetings with cultural institutions, politicians

and scientific networks regionally. This has shown how the concept of events

of practice exhibition in the Norwegian context takes shape by combining the

knowledge dissemination for both the general audience, students and pupils

and the dance community enthusiasts, with arranging for dance arenas/meeting

places. The latter creates greater awareness raising, showing how traditional

music and dance is an important field of social sustainability both for older and

younger generations where the general public could connect music and dance

to overall wellbeing and recreation.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 11



Reflections, challenges, The result of our fieldwork and facilitation process was a list of measures to be implemented in Trondheim. benefits for all involved This list was a mix of the needs and wishes of the

Through this project we came to know a large communities, and the ideas and recourses at the

community made by folk dancers, swing dancers, and Ringve and Rockheim museums and the Sff in terms of

musicians of both genres. Facilitating common meeting our roles and structures as national cultural heritage

places for this diverse community has been well institutions. The process of making the list was co-

received and has created many good synergies within creational and had a strong perspective from relevant

the communities as a result. current cultural politics in order to raise awareness of

We evaluate our process as well conducted in terms challenges faced in today´s contemporary society, and

of learning about the communities´ expectations and specially with other actors in the city, including the

needs for safeguarding their dancing and dance party project partners.

arenas. Through fieldwork and the co-creative process, Through this long bottom-up process with the

the Norwegian research group gained valuable insight community at the centre, the community has gained

and came to know the field, in order to better scaffold tools to better recognize and overcome the challenges

the project further in line with the wishes, dreams, and of transmitting local dance knowledge today. On

concerns of the community. the other hand, we as institutions have gained

Although the process of co-creation of measures to valuable insight and knowledge about creating and

be implemented in Trondheim was new to most of the leading sustainable facilitation models of co-creating

communities, we did not experience lack of interest safeguarding strategies with the heritage communities

in participation in the project. We are pleased with the of dancing as living heritage.

community´s engagement; people participated actively

in this rather open process during which we aimed to

let all the ideas have a chance, without predicting the

possible results from the beginning.



In this regard, the role of the partner institutions was

kept hidden from the communities until the second

meeting where we revealed some expectations in order

to lay down the ground for the rest of the project.

Due to the openness of the process, we received

feedback as well in terms of conflicting roles, elements

of competition, unclear aims and goals of the project.

Nevertheless, we managed to expand and improve how

we offer resources for dance communities of intangible

cultural heritage and open a line of dialogue between

the community and the institutions. This has nourished

the purpose of this case study to cooperate thoroughly

and on a long-term basis with dance enthusiasts and the

dance community.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 12



Co-creation: defines a partnership by which both parties define their need

and goals at a project’s inception and work together towards fulfilling them.

Communities should have more power than in a regular participatory project, but

both institution and communities’ goals should be achieved, and the finished

outcome of the collaboration is to be co-owned by the community and

institution.



Facilitator: is a neutral person that helps a group of people understand their

common objectives and assists them to plan and to achieve their objectives. The

facilitator is not in a position of authority nor imparting knowledge which they

alone hold. They are, instead, putting in place structures and processes which will

assist the group in communicating their own ideas.



Participatory: allowing people to take part in or become involved in an activity.

An approach or method in which practices, processes, or events are developed

collaboratively with the participants themselves—particularly with tradition-

bearers and practitioners of ICH. It implies that participants are not merely

contributors, but co-creators with real influence over decisions, content, and

implementation. It is a bottom-up process rooted in equal dialogue, mutual

learning, and shared ownership, with institutions acting as facilitators or

supporters rather than directors.



Transmission: measures to ensure that embodied elements of the ICH

continuously evolve, from manifestation to manifestation and while being

transmitted from person to person and from generation to generation.



Community: ‘people who value specific aspects of cultural heritage which they

wish, within the framework of public action, to sustain and transmit to future

generations’ (Council of Europe, 2005). This heritage community does not

necessarily conform to local or ethnic communities, but rather to a so-called

‘community of practice’. Beyond the heritage that they share, members of such

a heritage community of practice do not necessarily know each other or share

any other practices or interests. In other words, a heritage community consists

of anyone who is in some way or form connected to the ICH practice in question.

For music and dance practices, this includes musicians, dancers, and audiences

but also other related people such as event organisers, costume makers, local

community members, friends, and families.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 13





SLOVENIA / SLOVENE




ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM



Adela Pukl Introduction

Anja Jerin

The Slovene Ethnographic Museum (SEM in the following) performs its duties

as the national Coordinator for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural

Heritage and ensures the implementation of the UNESCO Convention for the

Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003) in Slovenia. As part

of its work, it constantly cooperates with the bearers of the intangible cultural

heritage in the field, whose activities in the safeguarding of the intangible

cultural heritage are presented in the Register of the Intangible Cultural

Heritage. Part of the register also includes folkdance heritage, which is still alive

and has active bearers who take care of its development and transmission.



Various dances form the dance tradition of Slovenia. Nowadays, most Slovenian

folk dances are only performed during performances by folkdance ensembles,

while two dances, the sotiš and the šamarjanka, are still alive. The sotiš and

šamarjanka were inscribed in the Register of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

in 2021. Both dances are couple dances, spontaneously danced on various

occasions e.g., at parties, family gatherings, weddings, junior proms, proms, and

festivals. The region that has preserved these dances the longest is Prekmurje (a

region in the extreme north-eastern part of Slovenia), where these two dances

represent an important identity marker for the local population.



Many dancers also dance as members of folkdance ensembles, where different

generations, from the youngest to the oldest, create different choreographies.

These represent their creativity and their connection to tradition simultaneously.

Folkdance ensembles play a significant role in transferring knowledge and

raising awareness of the presence of dance tradition in Prekmurje.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 14

Photo 1: Filming



pedagogical film in a

studio for an exhibition

Dance - Europe’s living

heritage in motion,

Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2024.

Photo: Adela Pukl.



Our community

The dance community is represented by boys and girls, men and women of all

ages, who dance together spontaneously at various celebrations and parties and

as part of performances by folkdance ensembles. Some of its members dance

as professionals; for most of them dancing in a folkdance ensemble represents a

leisure activity.



The first folkdance ensemble in Beltinci was founded in 1938. Nowadays,

several of them operate in this area, and their members are drawn together by

friendship and persistence, as well as the desire to learn about and safeguard

traditional folkdances, songs, customs, traditions, and games from the

Prekmurje region. The music, an important element in dancing, is provided

by different musicians: sometimes the dancers are accompanied by only an

accordion player, at other times by an entire musical ensemble.



At the exhibition, the dance heritage as seen and perceived by the dance

community from the local area was also presented through video material.

Representatives of this community are mostly dance teachers who pass on

their knowledge, to the youngest in elementary school as well as to high school

students and adults. They use various teaching methods, which they adapt to the

different age groups. A very important transfer of such knowledge also occurs

within families.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 15

Methodology

The dance community that lent us a hand in the process of staging the exhibition

and accompanying events at SEM actively works to safeguard the heritage that

is still alive and passed on from one generation to the next. At our meetings

with the bearers, we discussed dance traditions, knowledge transfer, their

practice, the importance of heritage safeguarding for the local community, and

the role of dance in their lives in general. In the course of our discussions with

representatives of heritage bearers (Cultural Association “Marko” Beltinci) it

became clear that they were looking forward to participating in the project

and were excited about presenting their local heritage in a different context.

Together, we planned the filming schedule and shot video materials for the

exhibition (presentational, educational, and documentary films).



Mutual trust and respect that we developed as we were preparing the materials

for the exhibition resulted in an exhibition with which both bearers and museum

curators identify.





Photo 2: Museum visitors

can learn to dance the

sotiš dance through an

interactive presentation,

Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2025.

Photo: Adela Pukl.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 16

Outcomes, solutions, audience than anything, the filming required good preparation (preliminary meetings and a test shooting), a script, and The exhibition presented the dance heritage of alignment of goals. Prekmurje – the sotiš and šamarjanka dances – in a new

context: the museum. This – the musealization of dance The most important aspect for us was to allow the

as intangible cultural heritage – turned out to be our bearers to present their heritage in the museum

biggest challenge. context the way they see and understand it. We left it

up to them to decide which musician they wanted to

Museums are institutions that do not close when accompany them (an accordionist), they decided what

dancers go to school or to work, and consequently tempo they wanted, and they chose to have the dance

dancers cannot always be there when museums are filmed dancing to live music. open. Museum visitors should therefore also be

offered a programme that on the one hand presents During the entire process we always bore in mind the

a dance itself, and on the other brings heritage closer wishes of the dance community and prepared contents

to people through their personal experience. This led that will stay on display at the Slovene Ethnographic

us to organize virtual interactive workshops for those Museum after the project ends. These interactive

learning the basic steps of both selected dances. exhibits, which disseminate the knowledge of dance

Putting them on film was a challenge for all involved, (intangible) heritage, are a huge contribution to

from dancers and curators to the camera operator and the museum. In the words of the dance community

others. members: “We are very proud to have had the opportunity

to collaborate with the Slovene Ethnographic Museum

The dance couple dancing were amateur dancers in creating this exhibition and dance events. It was an

who have been dancing since they were little. Filming honour for our association to have been able to present to

was difficult for them, because they are not used the broader public our dedication to the safeguarding of

to thinking about steps and moves, which come to cultural heritage, as well as a special kind of challenge as

them instinctively, without consciously thinking about we tried to come up with a way of presenting our folklore

them. We, on the other hand, expected them to break in a different, more contemporary way.” down the dance variants into individual parts. More

An important part of the exhibition were also 5 events

of practice exhibition: for children, students, adults and



professionals. At these events held at the museum, the

participants learned how to dance sotiš and šamarjanka

which were taught by the dance community. The

members of the dance community adapted the dance

lessons according to the participants’ prior knowledge,

their age, and the number of attendees at the event.

We all learned something new and had fun doing it.



Photo 3: Events of practice

exhibition in the Slovene

Ethnographic Museum,

Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2025.

Photo: Anja Jerin.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 17

Reflections, challenges, Photo 4: Stage performance by the dance group at the exhibition opening. Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2024. Photo: Miha Špiček.

benefits for all involved



The dance exhibition is a new venture for SEM,

since dance is an intangible cultural heritage, which

is difficult to materialize and present (musealize).

Throughout the process, our aim was to present

dance not only as something that folkdance

ensembles engage in, but as a spontaneous dance

that requires no special attire / costume. This was

successfully communicated through interactive

virtual contents, but as the dance community

wished to present at least some of their dances

in the costumes from a certain period, we



incorporated four costumes worn by the folkdance

ensemble members in their stage performances in

the exhibition.



It was also a challenge for the museum

professionals to collaborate with the dance

community and individuals, and we all had to learn

something and adapt to achieve our shared goal.

Our main link with the dance community was

Jelka Breznik, who commented: “Collaborating in

the project (field work, the staging of the exhibition,

dance events, and other) was extremely rewarding

and I saw it as a token of recognition and pride, as Photo 5: Transferring knowledge of dance heritage to younger

well as an opportunity to exchange views and work generations in elementary school, Beltinci, Slovenia, 2021.

with other professionals, who have taught me a Photo: Adela Pukl.



lot. Coordinating our expectations and views was forms while constantly turning back to its roots. Live

compelling, but the most important aspect was music accompanied our dance events for children,

working with like-minded people who respect each students, and adults. For some it was an opportunity to

other and share the same goal: to safeguard our socialize, for others, in the words of one of the visitors,

cultural heritage.” an opportunity to “break with the stereotypes associated

Dance and music go hand in hand and it was with dance heritage through the first-hand experience

through the collaboration process with the dance of learning a folk dance. In Slovenia, folk dance in its

community that it became clear just how important various forms is still subject to certain stereotypes and

live music really is, whether it comes from a band even stigma. Such performances in urban settings are

or just an accordionist. This highlights the vibrancy therefore important in dispelling the negative contexts of

of dance as it is manifested in its numerous folk dances and dance communities. I would be delighted

variations, thus enabling the development of new if there were more such opportunities!”



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 18



Co-creation focuses on jointly developing something new, incorporating input

from everyone involved.



Facilitator is a person who helps a group of people to work together better,

understand their common objectives, and plan how to achieve these objectives,

during meetings or discussions. In doing so, the facilitator remains “neutral”,

meaning they do not take a particular position in the discussion.



Participatory means providing the opportunity for people to be involved in

deciding how something is done.



Transmission is the way / process a person learns different knowledge and skills.

The transfer of knowledge and skills can be linear or horizontal.



Community: people, groups and, where appropriate, individuals that create,

maintain, safeguard and transmit heritage.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 19





ROMANIA




Simona Malearov Introduction

Raluca Ioana Andrei



Teodora Verza right bank of the River Olt, results from extensive research campaigns by the The study of the Lads Group from Rucăr, Brașov County, a village on the

ASTRA Museum. Rucăr exemplifies a Romanian community with a rich dance

culture that preserves and adapts traditions, including social dance elements. A

community refers to a group of people who live in a geographical space and who

regularly interact, forming bonds based on neighbourhood, culture, or common

customs. Its selection was determined by its organization and functioning, which

sets it apart from other present-day communities.



The Lads Group dances – the male Fecioreasca, couple Poșovoaica (Hațegana)

and Șchioapa (Învârtita), and group Jiana and Sârba – mark key winter

celebrations. The movements of each type of dance are passed down, through

imitation from one generation to the next. Experienced members of the Group

have the task of teaching younger members to understand and master the dance

techniques. The museum supports a group of young people still attached to

tradition.



The additional elements – the costume, the shouts, the music and the

choreography, make traditional dance a rich expression of intangible heritage.



The community’s expected outcome was to raise the degree of visibility in

order to attract tourists to the area to experience the customs of the heritage

community. The museum is a mediator between the community and the wide

audience, thus contributing to maintaining the local specificity.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 20

Photo 1: Rehearsals

at the Community Centre,

Rucăr, Romania, 2023.

Photo: Karla Roșca.



Our community

In Rucăr, the transmission of dance through the Lads Group results from the

community’s assumption of this cultural heritage. The Group operates in the

context of calendar customs, having a strong collective character and a cyclical

performance frequency. The Lads Group activity marks the milestones of the

winter festivities, moments with a unique value of renewing time.



In early December, young unmarried boys and girls gather at a house (the Host)

to form the Group, each with defined roles and responsibilities. By Christmas,

the whole repertoire of dances and shouts is learned and rehearsed by all. On

Christmas Eve, only the boys go carolling, visiting village figures and eventually

the homes of unmarried girls who join them. On Christmas, Epiphany, and Saint

John’s Day, in the afternoon, the community gathers at the Cultural Centre

where the Group starts the dance. On New Year’s Eve, the Group dances at

Photo 2: crossroads and community wells to assure the water supply for the whole village.

Map of case study area. These are elements of continuity, tradition preservation and renewal.





One room in the exhibition was produced exclusively with the members of the



community in a co-creation process. These included donations of traditional

costume pieces, their input on how the objects should be displayed, and the

selection of archive photographs that best represent the community. The room

also combined the results of fieldwork and archive research carried out between

2022 and 2024, which resulted in a documentary dedicated to the Lads Group

in which they are the protagonists.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 21

Methodology

The case study used a comprehensive methodology: field research, analysis

of musical and choreographic repertoire, and exploration of specific spaces.

Direct interaction with Lads Group members and the local community revealed

the deep ties between music, dance, ritual, and the venue (for rehearsals or

festivities). The musical repertoire was analyzed for its role in shaping traditional

identity.



The ASTRA Museum documented and promoted the Lads Group’s intangible

heritage through collaborations, events, workshops and support, boosting

the community’s visibility. Community members joined work meetings where

archive materials were shared, creating a bottom-up dialogue rooted in local

knowledge. Audio-video recordings supported understanding of regional

cultural identity and the value of local dance in European heritage. The

community embraced the opportunity to share their customs in the exhibition.



Outcomes, solutions, audience

The heritage communities and the public who wanted to experience different

types of dance were able to actively take part in all the events of practice. These

were designed to encourage and stimulate dance events, where participants

interact and have a good time, by creating a dance arena within the museum.

Dances presented by heritage communities: Învârtita, Hațegana, Fecioreasca,

and Jiana, illustrated the richness and diversity of the tangible and intangible



Photo 3: The Lads Group from



Rucăr, Romania, 2022.

Photo: Dumitru Andrei.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 22

community’s cultural heritage. The participants learned the specific dance styles of

each ethnic community through rhythmic movements.

The events of practice exhibition aimed at showcasing European dances by creating

an interactive and educational space. These events facilitated a cultural exchange

between practitioners and the public, fostered intercultural dialogue and promoted

dance as a form of active heritage.



During these events we collected impressions from the participants, both through

questionnaires and direct interviews. Many visitors mentioned that they were

touched by the opportunity to learn traditional dances in an interactive arena. Some

of them highlighted that they felt a stronger connection to Romanian traditions and

were particularly impressed by the bond between the participants and wellbeing

given by dance as well as the authentic experience.



Effective marketing communication was ensured to attract a diverse audience,

from dance enthusiasts and specialists to the general public, including children,

young people and adults. The promotion strategy was designed to attract a diverse

audience by utilizing communication, promotion and media dissemination across

local, national and international platforms, both online and offline.



We aimed to create a link between visitors and national traditions, emphasizing

the value of dance in preserving cultural identity and strengthening intercultural

connections. The events were designed to be accessible and educational, stimulating

the curiosity and active involvement of the audience. Overall, the events of practice

aimed to inspire an appreciation and understanding of participatory dance traditions

from Romania as an integral part of European cultural heritage.



Photo 4: The Lads Group



at the event of practice,

Sibiu, Romania, 2024.

Photo: Silviu Popa.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 23

Reflections, challenges, and knowledge. At the same time, the general public had the opportunity to discover and appreciate the cultural benefits for all involved uniqueness of Rucăr, especially through the prism of

Today, in the commune of Viștea, there are two groups traditional dance and music. Many visitors expressed

in the five villages belonging to the commune - in Rucăr a desire to participate in future events, suggesting

and Viștea de Jos. Interest in carols, traditional dances, a growing interest in this type of cultural heritage

and the Lads Groups has declined, and their numbers and a greater commitment to the preservation and

are steadily decreasing. In the mid-20th century, every promotion of local traditional dances. village in Țara Făgărașului had at least one group.

Communicating intangible heritage through an

Music and dance were essential for socializing and

interactive exhibition created new ways of staging

intergenerational connection, with people of all ages

knowledge and objects, all illustrated to create the

eager to learn and uphold tradition.

overall, complex and unified picture of dance.

A major challenge we faced was the reluctance of some

members of the community to attend events organised Photo 5: The Lads Group in unfamiliar locations, such as the museum. In the at the event of practice,

face of this, we implemented solutions by organizing Sibiu, Romania, 2024.

Photo: Silviu Popa.

training and familiarization sessions designed to help



participants feel more comfortable with the new

formats. We also encouraged their active involvement

in the process of organizing the events, so that they

could become more confident and take key roles in

promoting their traditions. The chosen case study

proves that the system of Romanian customs is unitary

and unmistakable, being built on a long tradition and at

the same time open to renewal.



Our role is to be involved both in the promotion of

communities, their customs and traditions, and in

raising awareness among community members of the

values they hold and which they can exploit for their

benefit and that of other communities. To counteract

the decline of interest in traditional dance and all its

implications, we have implemented various educational

and cultural initiatives, such as the organization of

dance workshops in order to sensitize young people

and stimulate their desire to learn these customs still

preserved by the heritage communities.



The events organised had a significant impact on the

participants, giving them the opportunity to express

their creativity through dance and to pass on their



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 24



Co-creation is a collaborative process in which cultural institutions and the

public or involved communities work together to create content, interpretations,

or cultural experiences. This model involves an active exchange of knowledge,

perspectives, and values, emphasizing participation and inclusion. Co-creation

transforms visitors from passive recipients into active partners in shaping the

meaning and value of heritage.



Facilitator: The cultural institution assumes the role of facilitating access to

culture, promoting active participation, and fostering the development of

intercultural dialogue. In this role, the institution goes beyond preserving and

exhibiting heritage to creating contexts for learning, collaboration, and co-

creation, thus becoming a catalyst for social inclusion, informal education, and

community development.



Participatory refers to the act of helping to shape – whether directly or through

an organisation – the policies and future of an establishment, association

or informal group, for the benefit of a community; it is often considered

to guarantee the sustainability of a project or the growth of an institution;

participation takes three forms: support from elites, visitor behaviour and local

community involvement.



Transmission refers to the process of communication, conservation, and

intergenerational transfer of the cultural, historical, and symbolic values

associated with a heritage object. This involves not only the physical preservation

of artifacts, but also the maintenance and dissemination of their identity-related

and educational meanings through cultural mediation, scholarly interpretation,

and public presentation.



Community: a group of people sharing interests, cultural practices, geographical

origins or ethical and political ideals as well as a common heritage and customs.

The members of a community obey the same rules, and their actions are in

accordance with others.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 25





HUNGARY




Márta Bokonics-Kramlik Introduction

Dóra Pál-Kovács

In Hungary, the professional coordinator of the execution of the 2003

Convention about the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage is the

Hungarian Open Air Museum. During its existence, the institution has formed

an extensive community and professional network and has become a centre

of knowledge on the safeguarding of cultural heritage and has established the

Directorate of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The Directorate’s work includes

maintaining a national inventory of intangible cultural heritage, in close contact

with the ICH communities.



Taking into account the objectives of the project, we have chosen the Sárköz

community, which has been included in the national inventory since 2012. In

addition to its rich dance tradition, other areas of folk art are dominant here. A

characteristic couple dance of the Sárköz dance tradition is the csárdás, a slow

and friss version of which is still part of the cultural heritage. The csárdás is a

very deep-rooted dance in this region, and it has flourished in the recent past.

The entire folk art of the region reflects the objectives of the 2003 Convention:

it is inherited from generation to generation, it is constantly responding to

the social and cultural context, it is not static, and it is an essential part of the

community’s identity.



The focus of the exhibition’s events was on the transmission of knowledge

through museum education based on the dance community, to help children and

adults become museum visitors, and to educate them to understand and enjoy

the arts and dance.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 26

Photo 1: Friss csárdás



from the Sárköz region,

Szentendre, Hungary, 2024.

Photo: Hungarian Open Air

Museum, Balázs Farkas-Mohi.



Our community

The Sárköz is a specific cultural region of the lower Danube in Hungary. The

typical culture of weaving and embroidery, beaded collars, colourful costumes

made of high-quality materials, accessories, dialect and folk songs and dances

characteristic of the region together define the cultural identity of the people

of the Sárköz.



The region continues to uphold a rich tradition of community practices, with one

of the most prevalent methods of learning being the transmission of knowledge

from one generation to the next. The places of transmission in the Sárköz

region are dance houses, dance groups and other organised dance events such

as harvest balls. The dance house movement has led to the institutionalisation

of local dances in schools and community centres, which are open to children

and adults, men and women equally. In addition to dance houses and rehearsal

rooms, the stage is also a frequent venue for traditional dance culture, including

the Sárköz csárdás. On stage, performances of folk traditions or dance theatre

have become increasingly popular.



In the events of practice exhibition, dances, including the Sárköz csárdás is

presented as a complex cultural phenomenon. The community encouraged

visitors and people of the museum education programmes to experience the

traditions through dance and singing workshops, as well as handicraft activities.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 27

Methodology

One of the aims of the fieldwork was to find out about

the place and role of dance in community life, and

what methods have been developed locally to transmit

knowledge. Based on this, the Hungarian Open Air

Museum has designed different programmes, which

can be run by members of the community as well as the

museum at any time. We have worked with different age



groups, including primary school children, high school Photo 2: Dancing together at the event of the exhibition in students, and elderly people living with dementia. the Hungarian Open Air Museum, Szentendre, Hungary, 2024.

For the elderly we wanted to improve their quality Photo: Hungarian Open Air Museum, by borsi.



of life, both their physical and mental wellbeing by

implementing dancing into their reminiscence sessions.

For the high school students, we created an outreach

programme where they could compare different dance

events in the past and the present, which made them

realize the importance of dance in socializing and

relationship-building. For smaller children, the aim

was to become engaged with dancing, to feel free to

express themselves, and to enjoy the movement.





Photo 3: Dancers and musicians from the community welcome guests

to dance together, Szentendre, Hungary, 2024. Photo: Hungarian

Open Air Museum, Eszter Csonka-Takács.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 28

Outcomes, solutions, audience

In connection with the participatory exhibition, several events were held to

experience the community character of the Hungarian dance tradition and to learn

about the diversity of its intangible heritage. Some of the programmes were open

to the public, so all visitors to the museum could participate, and the museum

education activities were mainly aimed at children and the elderly. Through the

programmes, participants were able to experience the dance, the dance of the

Sárköz, with their own bodies. The sense of belonging to the community was

strengthened by the representation of the Sárköz community. The events of the

exhibition provided visibility to the intangible heritage, celebrated its diversity and

helped the community to bring its own intangible heritage closer to the museum’s

visitors.

For example, with elderly people living with dementia we could do ordinary dancing

(couple dances and round dances) or seated dancing. Dancing is a multi-sensory

activity: the sound of music, the visual surroundings, the touch of another person

and the movement all together help people living with dementia. It is also good

physical exercise and potentially improves cognitive functions like memory, not to

mention its effectiveness in enhancing mood.



The programme for high school students was based on the Sárköz community

narratives. By listing dance events past and present, we drew attention to the

diversity of dance events and how they were an important means of communication

between people and socialisation within the community. By presenting Sárköz

costume, we also introduced another level of non-verbal communication during

dance. At the closure, we held a debate where the students expressed their opinions



Photo 4: Transmission



of knowledge between

generations, Szentendre,

Hungary, 2024.

Photo: Hungarian Open Air

Museum, Balázs Farkas-Mohi.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 29

and could deliberate on the importance and role of programme wasn’t an option. The solution was that we

dance events today and in the past. created an outreach programme that we delivered on

During school break, the children of the summer camps the school site. We took objects from the museum that

were encouraged to look at the video installation in the we could show the youngsters because it was important

exhibition and be inspired to dance freely. This worked to us to connect the programme to the museum as

well as a group bonding exercise and taught them how well. Gaining the attention of Gen Z and Gen Alpha

they could express themselves through motion and students and keeping them engaged can be challenging.

dance. We knew from the beginning that asking them to

participate in dancing wouldn’t work, because they

The programmes provided an opportunity for museum

might be too shy in front of the whole class, so we had

visitors and groups to engage with the intangible

cultural heritage community, to “capture the a different approach. Instead of learning dance moves,

we wanted them to think about the impact of dancing

intangible”.

on relationship-building and socialization. Rather than



Reflections, challenges, testing their encyclopaedia knowledge, we focused on their own experiences, problem-solving skills, benefits for all involved and creativity. With this programme, the youngsters

The events of practice exhibition has strengthened improved their communication skills and became more

the importance of participation and community in cooperative; we also strengthened their interest in

our programmes. The active participation helped us dances and the museum.

to understand the verbal and non-verbal knowledge

transmitted by dance. This was further encouraged by

the presence of the community, for whom it is natural

to transmit and safeguard their tradition. Reaching

out to the younger generation is an ongoing challenge

for the ICH community. The programmes developed

together give them another opportunity to transmit

their heritage.

As an example, let’s look at the experience of activities

for different age groups. Research showed that dancing

can significantly benefit people living with dementia. It

can improve their mood, reduce anxiety, and stimulate

cognitive function. Socially, it encourages interaction

and connection. Physically, it enhances balance,

coordination, and overall well-being. Importantly, dance

can boost self-esteem. One of the challenges that we

easily overcame was the physical condition of some

participants (some had limited movement, and others

were in wheelchairs); we simply offered seated dancing,

which worked very well. This way nobody was left out.





Most high schools have a very busy schedule, event linked to the exhibition, Szentendre, Hungary, 2024. Photo: Photo 5: A dance suitcase, an essential accessory for a dance

so organising trip to the museum to attend the Hungarian Open Air Museum, Fruzsina Arkhely.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 30



Co-creation: By co-creation, we mean that museum professionals worked

together with members of the community to develop and implement the

programmes detailed in the text.



Facilitator: In the development of museum education activity sessions, the

museum educators acted as facilitators, gently guiding the sessions, facilitating

the course of the activity, but not taking sides.



Participatory: This is a key concept of the entire project, emphasizing the

importance of engagement in understanding intangible cultural heritage and

promoting participation over passive, presentational events.



Transmission: In a broader sense, transmission refers to the conveying of the

message of dance, which can take place both within the context of intangible

cultural heritage and during museum education activities.



Community: In this Hungarian context, community refers to the bearer

community of the heritage that is listed on the national inventory of intangible

cultural heritage.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 31





SLOVENIA / ZRC SAZU




Rebeka Kunej Introduction

At the Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (ZRC

SAZU in the following), the Institute of Ethnomusicology, founded in 1934, has

an extensive collection of field recordings made by the Institute’s researchers,

to which new recordings are constantly being added. The Institute’s efforts are

also focussed on acquiring and archiving external sound collections of Slovenian

folk music owned by other institutions and individuals.



Today, the Institute’s research work is focussed on two main areas. On the

one hand, it seeks to identify the images of Slovenian identity in the form of

folk music and dance and to explore their boundaries and interrelations with

surrounding cultures. On the other hand, the Institute examines the areas in

which contemporary creativity merges with the music and dance heritage and at

the same time interprets modern phenomena.



The Institute complements its research work by converting the rich analogue

archive of Slovenian folk song, dance and music into a digital form and making

the collections available to the public via the Etnomuza platform. This is a digital

space of the ZRC SAZU Institute of Ethnomusicology, where we present audio,

manuscript, image and video material, mainly related to the folk music and dance

heritage of Slovenia. The published material is selected, compiled in complete

sets and provided with metadata and accompanying studies. It primarily offers

users an insight into past musical practices and related social phenomena, but at

the same time can be a source for further studies or (re-)production activities.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 32

Photo 1: Drawing on historical

recordings of the accordion player,

young musicians, members of the

folkdance ensemble, engaged in a

co-creative process that bridged

tradition and contemporary

interpretation of local dance

heritage, Horjul, Slovenia, 2024.

Photo: Rebeka Kunej.



Our community

The project Dance-ICH focused on stakeholders in the Municipality of Horjul.

Photo 2: The folkdance tunes Our heritage community is multimodal, so we have worked in different ways in

recorded by Rudy Sečnik (1907– the local environment, adapting to each one individually.

1991), a local traditional musician,

served as the foundation for the At the primary school in Horjul, in collaboration with the teachers, we organised

Institute's collaboration

with the local community. several lessons for the pupils to introduce them to the music and dance heritage

Source: Private collection. of the area. We presented our institute and project and listened to some archive



recordings. Together, we then danced various folk dances and created the music



to accompany them. The result was a performance at the Christmas bazaar.

Similarly, the specific groups we worked with were children in kindergarten and

pedagogical staff from both of the above-mentioned educational institutions in

the community.



In the folklore ensemble, we spent most of our time working with musicians. The

starting point was old recordings of the accordion player, which we used for a

new co-creative process. The recordings were offered to the artistic leader of

the ensemble as a starting point for her choreographic interpretation of the

dances on stage. In the ensemble of violin, clarinet, accordion and double bass,

we created dance pieces together. They were presented by the young musicians

at a display of folk music tradition re-creators.



Their music was also the starting point for the co-creation of the events of

practice exhibition that we carried out in spring 2025 and were connected to

the display of the project exhibition. These were addressed not only to the local

community, but to all those interested in the dance heritage of the Horjul Valley.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 33

By setting up the exhibition in Horjul, we wanted to attract and involve other

local people, at least indirectly, because we also see the all-encompassing local

community as a heritage community.



Methodology

The starting point of our collaboration with the local community was recordings

in the archives of the Institute of Ethnomusicology ZRC SAZU, but unknown

in the community from which they originate. These are cassette recordings

made by Rudi Sečnik, locally known as Cankarjev Rudi, who recognised the

value of traditional dance tunes from his youth. In the 1980s, he recorded

himself playing the button box accordion to ensure that these melodies would

not be lost and forgotten. He gave a copy of the recordings to his sister, who

passed it on to her granddaughter. By a lucky coincidence, it ended up in the

archives of the Institute of Ethnomusicology ZRC SAZU. This sound material,

which is directly related to the dance heritage of the place and had been

completely overlooked, was the starting point for a creative collaboration with

the local community in Horjul. We presented the Dance–ICH project to various

community stakeholders (the municipality, the primary school and the cultural

association hosting the folklore ensemble). Based on the discussions with the

individual interest groups and the needs and wishes they expressed, we outlined

further collaboration, resulting in the following initiatives: contemporary musical

recreations (reviving recordings), the use of dance tunes for participatory

children’s activities linked to heritage discussions, and raising cultural heritage

awareness through a local exhibition.



Photo 3: Participatory dance event



for children, both dancers and

musicians, held at a primary school

during the Christmas bazaar,

Horjul, Slovenia, 2023.

Photo: Rebeka Kunej.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 34

Photo 4: At the opening of the



project exhibition in Horjul,

Slovenia (April 2025), the local

folkdance ensemble gave a

special performance.

Photo: Nace Kunej.



Outcomes, solutions, audience

Our starting point for the events of practice exhibition was primarily sound

recordings and a curated selection of dance melodies. Thus, the first segment

of the events of practice exhibition was directly related to these aural documents

and could take place partly before the opening of the joint exhibition of the

project partners. The objective was to empower the stakeholders to claim

their music-dance heritage as their own and to interpret it in a manner that

resonates with their needs and appropriations, even if these differed from our

expectations.



We held workshops in the community’s kindergarten and primary school,

reaching almost all children aged 3 to 15 with the local dance heritage. In

the kindergarten, age-appropriate workshops included discussion of the

community’s dance tradition and customs, a documentary screening, and

dancing. At school, selected classes learned dances during lessons. A highlight

was the children’s public performance, where they shared their dance heritage

with their peers, parents and the local community, effectively bringing the dance

tradition into the present. Encouraged by the positive response from staff and

children, it was decided to add a third series of events of practice exhibition:

dance workshops for teachers and educators. This training empowers them to

integrate the local dance and music heritage into their teaching, enriching their

pedagogy and ensuring the tradition’s continuity.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 35

The folkdance ensemble, which is part of the only active cultural association in

the municipality, took a different approach to co-creating events. The music

section of the folkdance ensemble recreated Rudi Sečnik’s recordings and made

them resonate beyond their own locality. They presented these melodies at a

display of traditional music re-creators, and with this programme they achieved

great success and a national level of excellence. The folkdance ensemble has also

performed its modern choreographies at various events organised as part of the

exhibition (opening, workshops), or just its musicians performing Rudi Sečnik’s

dance tunes.



The second part of the events of practice exhibition was directly related to the

project exhibition. In the light of mutual satisfaction, we wanted to empower

the local community by hosting the exhibition not only in the capital of Slovenia,

but also in their local community. Therefore, the exhibition was held in both

destinations – Ljubljana and Horjul. In Ljubljana the events of the practice

exhibition were mainly animation-dance workshops for random audiences, and

in Horjul they were orientated towards local people and tailored to age groups

– from the youngest in kindergarten, who saw the exhibition and tried dancing,

to the oldest-seniors. In this regard, we collaborated with the local retirement

society, where the participatory dance experience was replaced by various

testimonies and discussions about past dancing. In this way, precious memories

of dance were brought back to life while viewing the exhibition.



Photo 5: Engaging the



youngest residents in the local

dance heritage discourse offers

both a valuable experience and

a pedagogical challenge. Events

of practices exhibition event

at the kindergarten in Horjul,

Slovenia, November 2024.

Photo: Andreja Naglič Kumer,

© OŠ Horjul.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 36



Reflections, challenges, attractive enough to be the basis for a new stage choreography. benefits for all involved On the contrary, despite the school curriculum, As a research institution, the project has yielded new the principal, teachers and educators have included insights into the manner in which we can collaborate local music and dance heritage in their programme. with the local community. It has also confirmed that They have also expressed a desire to learn more in both sides can benefit by being transparent about their this domain, as they feel that this will empower them needs and wishes. to transmit the dance heritage to the children, thus

In accordance with predictions, the response of the safeguarding the local cultural heritage for future

local authorities has been positive. They have offered generations. both support in principle and, when necessary,

The most valuable contribution of the project is the

in practice, by providing both infrastructure and

establishment of new collaborative relationships

exhibition place when required. They have expressed

between the research institution and the local heritage

satisfaction at having hosted the European exhibition

community. The contacts and positive experience

in the municipal building and at being included in

gained from this project can provide a solid foundation

the exhibition content as one of the communities

for cooperative endeavours in the future.

represented. Being aware that a small town on the

periphery would be exhibited in five other European

countries has made them proud. It is crucial that we

approached them in a non-academic, partly factual and

pragmatic way, and that we recognised their needs:

to discover their dance traditions, to create a dance

heritage discourse within and about the locality, and

to provide additional cultural content for the local

population.



We were certain that the least challenging element

would be working with a local folkdance ensemble

experienced in the re-creation of a dance heritage

on stage. However, the co-creation processes have

repeatedly been caught in the grip of divergent

interests of both sides. The fact is that the folkdance

ensemble is involved in activities that are determined

by the cultural policy for amateur activity, which is

rather competitively oriented towards performing arts

productions. This is also linked to the priorities of the

ensemble which include offering the evaluators an

attractive programme in the field of interpretation of

dance traditions, and which are not necessarily linked

to the local context. From this perspective, the sound

material and the local dance heritage did not prove



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 37



Co-creation: In the collaborative process of the project, the course of

work was negotiated continuously. Project outcomes were adapted to meet

the expectations of all stakeholders, and joint decisions were pursued to

accommodate everyone involved.



Facilitator: The institute served as a facilitator, acting as a mediator between two

distinct yet interconnected domains: the archival sound heritage and the dance

heritage on one hand, and the local heritage community on the other.



Participatory: Participatory engagement occurred on multiple levels, including

individual cooperation, institutional collaboration with municipal authorities and

educational institutions, as well as formalised structures within a cultural-artistic

association.



Transmission: The project enabled various forms of heritage transmission and

knowledge sharing: from participatory experiences of dancers and musicians to

the communication of local heritage through exhibitions and in local media, and

finally, the conversion of analogue sound recordings into digital format, allowing

this sound heritage to be transferred into a virtual environment.



Community: In this case, the heritage community consisted of individuals

spanning a wide range of age groups, interests, and preferences. Within a single

local community, several groups were identified as legitimate components of a

shared heritage community.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 38





GREECE




Zoi N. Margari Introduction

Maria I. Koutsouba

Our approach recognised the pivotal contribution of academic institutions, such

as the Hellenic Folklore Research Centre of the Academy of Athens (hereafter

HFRC-AA) and the School/Department of Physical Education and Sport Science

of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (hereafter S/DPESS

NKUA) in the sustainable management of Greek dance and its cultural heritage

communities. Our study focused on a hybrid reference community, which,

according to ethnographic research, plays a catalytic role in the sustainability

and resilience of dance and dance practices as living heritage in Greece.



Based on the findings of the HFRC-AA, which acts as the National

Documentation Centre for Greek Popular Culture - specializing in ethnographic,

folklore, anthropological, and ethnological research- the importance of

specialised dance teachers across all aspects of experiencing dance as living

heritage was highlighted. Their importance was underlined by the HFRC-AA,

which is dedicated to the collection, documentation and study of cultural

heritage expressions. It is also focused on supporting sustainable management

practices applied by Public Administration bodies and communities (local/

supra-local, diaspora/ic, hybrid) that strive to safeguard and transmit traditional

knowledge and skills. Within this scope, the HFRC-AA observed the decisive

role of this community and thoroughly examined its relations with other dance

heritage communities across Greece.



Additionally, in collaboration with the S/DPESS-NKUA, the oldest and largest

state university in Greece, a deeper analysis was conducted. The S/DPESS-

NKUA offers a holistic and interdisciplinary environment for dance studies,

drawing on its long-standing tradition in teaching, researching and archiving

dance as living heritage across educational levels. As a result, we concentrated

on the dance teachers community, which has continuously been fostered within

its frame.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 39

Photo 1: Fostering synergies between



institutional frameworks and

grassroots heritage communities

through public folklore and

co-creative methodologies during the

Dance as living ICH of the 21st century.

From dance ethnography to a dance

class: Dance knowledge, research,

transmission, presentation & the role of

dance academics Workshop, organised

by the Hellenic Folklore Research

Centre of the Academy of Athens,

Athens, Greece, 2023.

Photo: Thanos Kinigaris.



Thus, within the Dance-ICH Project, this reference community -comprising

specialised dance teachers, students, graduates and postgraduates and

acting as a core heritage that bridges institutions, public administration and

heritage communities- was selected as a hybrid model to exemplify sustainable

interaction and co-creational approaches to dance as living heritage.



Our community

The dance teachers, students and graduates who are specialists in Greek

traditional dance at the S/DPESS-NKUA constitute a supra-local heritage

community that serves as a dynamic bridge between local/supra-local and

diaspora/ic dance heritage communities. They act as catalysts in safeguarding

dance as living intangible cultural heritage, contributing substantially to the

identification, documentation, research, preservation, protection, promotion,

enhancement, transmission, and revitalization of Greek traditional dance

and dance practices. On this basis, this hybrid reference community of more

than 2,500 members, fully meets the prerequisites established by UNESCO’s

2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Its members interact actively with multiple local/supra-local, diaspora/ic, and

hybrid heritage communities. The majority of its members originates from the

periphery of Greece and were already engaged with Greek traditional dance

through family, community, or personal experience before attending university.

Even those without a formal background are generally familiar with dance as a



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 40

vibrant, living expression of Greek cultural identity. Upon entering their studies

and choosing to specialize in Greek traditional dance, they often select their

own communities, or broader, under-researched regions, as the focus of their

ethnographic projects, thereby documenting dances and practices rarely studied

before. Thus, the members of this hybrid community, coming from diverse

ethnocultural backgrounds, converge and interweave through ethnographic and

educational practices, embracing multiple layers of Greek cultural expression.

Within the context of the case study, emphasis was placed on documenting,

analysing, and supporting their actions, highlighting the pivotal role they assume

in the post-Convention era. We followed their engagements as they unfolded,

across traditional dance events, festive, celebratory, and educational gatherings

in local and urban contexts, as well as through new hybrid forms such as

open dance classes, all of which demonstrate the community’s evolving and

sustaining vitality.



Photo 2: Developing the concept



of ‘Events of Practice Exhibitions’

through co-creation and synergies:

Core heritage community members

while collaborating and dancing

alongside local/supra-local, diaspora/

ic and hybrid dance communities

members during the Dance as living

ICH of the 21st century. From dance

ethnography to a dance class: Dance

knowledge, research, transmission,

presentation & the role of dance

academics Workshop, Athens, Greece,

2023. Photo: Zoi N. Margari.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 41

Methodology

Within the framework of the Greek Case Study, the

Greek partners, aimed to foster synergies between

institutional frameworks and grassroots heritage

communities through public folklore and co-creative

methodologies.

The process began with meetings where members of

the core heritage community (hereafter CHC) were

introduced to contemporary safeguarding frameworks,

updated on national/international regulations, and



familiarised with participatory methods in cultural Photo 3: 'Participatory Dance Event' held as part of the ‘Events of Practice Exhibitions’ within the framework of the exhibition DANCE. management. Additionally, we focused on participatory Europe’s Living Heritage in Motion, Athens, Greece, 2025.

research models, wherein the CHC assumed active Photo: Eleni Filippidou.

roles in amplifying the voices of dance heritage



practitioners. The structured discussions provided

insights into the challenges posed by institutionalization

and musealization, fostering co-creational approaches

tailored to community-driven heritage management.



The collaboration culminated in the Greek Dance-ICH

Workshop (14–16 December 2023), where CHC

members worked alongside local/supra-local, diaspora/

ic and hybrid communities on developing events of

practice exhibitions. Following that, all stakeholders

participated in the co-creation of the exhibition

materials (panels, films) and the design of participatory



dance events, ensuring a holistic representation of

dance as living heritage.

To do so, the following stepwise participatory

methodology was adopted: a. developing facilitator

models; b. identifying and planning exemplary cases

and c. co-producing sustainable exhibition guidelines.

Through this holistic approach, the agency of

communities in safeguarding dance and dancing as

living heritage was reinforced.



Photo 4: 'Participatory Dance Event' held as part of the ‘Events of

Practice Exhibitions’ within the framework of the exhibition DANCE.

Europe’s Living Heritage in Motion, Athens, Greece, 2025.

Photo: Maria I. Koutsouba.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 42

Outcomes, solutions, audience By actively involving community members in the structuring of the exhibition, the project fostered The implementation of the events of practice a bottom-up approach that counterbalanced the exhibition concept, following the participatory dance traditional top-down heritage management paradigms. events, represented an innovative attempt to foster

participatory engagement in the safeguarding of From an audience perspective, the events attracted a

Greek traditional dance and dancing as living ICH. diverse group of participants, ranging from academics,

These events functioned as dynamic spaces where scholars and policymakers to local cultural associations,

heritage bearers, dance practitioners, scholars and schools, clubs and the general public. The strategic

cultural managers converged to negotiate and co- marketing of the exhibition emphasised accessibility

create sustainable models for the transmission and and inclusivity, ensuring that community members

revitalization of dance traditions. Through interactive could recognize their own lived experiences reflected

exhibitions, live performances, and structured in the presentations. Through targeted outreach

discussions, the project aimed to bridge the gap efforts, including digital media campaigns and local

between academic institutions and grassroots cultural partnerships, the events successfully engaged

communities, emphasizing the active role of local and both specialised and non-specialised audiences,

supra-local actors in heritage management. demonstrating the relevance of Greek traditional

dance in contemporary socio-cultural contexts. The

During the Athens Workshop, organised by the

integration of performative elements within the

HFRC-AA and supported by the S/DPESS, the events

exhibition framework heightened visitor engagement,

showcased diverse approaches to dance heritage,

transforming the audience from passive spectators into

integrating ethnographic case studies, audio-visual

active participants in heritage transmission processes.

documentation and embodied knowledge transmission.

The participation of the CHC members was pivotal



in structuring these events. By acting as mediators

between institutional frameworks and vernacular

dance practices, they facilitated a participatory co-

creational process that reinforced the agency of

dance heritage practitioners. Their contributions

encompassed demonstrative dance sessions, oral

testimonies and reflective dialogues on the challenges

of institutionalizing ICH without undermining its fluidity

and adaptability.



A key outcome was the formulation of an adaptable

facilitator model, which provided a flexible

methodological framework for integrating local/supra-

local and diaspora/ic heritage communities into dance

safeguarding initiatives. The facilitator model was built Photo 5: 'Participatory Dance Event' held as part of the ‘Events of

on three interconnected pillars: Practice Exhibitions’ within the framework of the exhibition DANCE.

i. ethnographic engagement and documentation Europe’s Living Heritage in Motion, Athens, Greece, 2025.

ii. participatory co-creation in heritage events and Photo: Zoi N. Margari.

iii. policy advocacy for sustainable cultural management.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 43



Reflections, challenges, Another significant challenge was ensuring long-term sustainability. While the events successfully benefits for all involved demonstrated the feasibility of participatory heritage

The events of practice exhibition offered a unique management models, questions remained about how

opportunity to observe and critically assess these initiatives could be institutionalised without

participatory heritage management dynamics in real- compromising their grassroots character. To address

world conditions. One of the most profound insights this, it was initially decided that the Dance-ICH

gained through the project was the recognition exhibition would become a permanent installation,

of the CHC’s pivotal capacity to act as cultural allowing it to function beyond the project’s completion

intermediaries. By navigating between institutional as a stable yet flexible pillar for the experiential

frameworks and vernacular heritage communities, they approach to dance and dance practices as living

facilitated meaningful dialogues, negotiated diverse heritage.

heritage narratives and advocated for more inclusive Recognizing these concerns, the project prioritised the

safeguarding policies. necessity of maintaining flexible, participatory public



Among the primary benefits, the empowerment of folklore methodologies that emphasise community-

driven approaches over rigid institutional frameworks.

local/supra-local, diaspora/ic and hybrid heritage

communities stood out. Through their active Furthermore, CHC members were instrumental

involvement, these communities reclaimed agency in establishing permanent networks of cultural

over their intangible cultural expressions. Participants convergence among local/supra-local, diaspora/ic,

emphasised that the participatory exhibition platform hybrid dance heritage communities and communities

enabled them to network, exchange experiences and of practice in Greece and abroad. These networks were

strengthen intergenerational knowledge transmission designed to: a. continually enrich the exhibition content

processes, enhancing the perceived value and resilience through community contributions and b. systematically

foster new thematic expansions of events of practice

of Greek traditional dance.

exhibitions, ensuring continuous cultural interaction and

However, the Project encountered several challenges. mutual reinforcement. A major difficulty was balancing diverse stakeholder

Overall, the project illuminated the transformative

expectations. While academic and institutional

potential of participatory heritage safeguarding,

partners sought to implement structured safeguarding

demonstrating that flexibility, community

strategies, many dance practitioners hesitated, fearing empowerment and sustainable models are key to

that without formalised frameworks or expertise, preserving and revitalizing dance as living cultural

they might not be able to engage fully in the heritage heritage in the contemporary world. As heritage

process. Additionally, it became evident that the strong policies continue to evolve, the experiences gained

academic environment within which the exhibition and through this case study provide valuable lessons for

participatory events were designed, namely HFRC-AA ensuring that safeguarding efforts remain attuned to

and S/DPESS-NKUA, initially generated apprehension the needs and aspirations of the communities they aim

among visitors and dance communities. They feared to serve.

that institutionalisation could lead to over-regulation

and eventually stifle the organic evolution of their

dance practices.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 44



Co-creation: A collaborative process where institutions and communities jointly

design and implement heritage management and safeguarding practices and

actions while sharing knowledge and responsibilities.



Facilitator: An individual or an institution that enables community-driven

practices by supporting dialogue, participation and access to information and

resources.



Participatory: A methodological approach that actively involves communities

as equal partners in planning, decision-making and implementation of heritage

management and safeguarding processes.



Transmission: The ongoing process of passing cultural knowledge, skills and

practices across generations or within communities.



Community: A group sharing and practising specific cultural expressions, rooted

in identity and continuity, and central to heritage safeguarding.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 45





CONCLUSION




Tone Erlien Myrvold The Dance-ICH project was conceived as a transnational initiative for the

Anja Serec Hodžar sustainable safeguarding of dance as intangible cultural heritage through

Mieke Witkamp co-creative approaches between museums, research institutions, and local

communities. The key need, as reflected across all case studies, is to ensure

long-term transmission of dance knowledge and to maintain the vitality of

traditional dances within contemporary contexts. The ultimate goal of the

project is to transform cultural institutions from passive exhibitors into active

facilitators of living heritage and to create sustainable collaboration models

based on participation, co-creation, and mutual respect between institutions and

communities.



Both sides – institutions and communities – show strong interest in

collaboration. Institutions contribute professional expertise, infrastructure,

access to funding, and opportunities for greater visibility, while communities

bring experiential and living knowledge, emotional investment, and creative

energy. While differences in expectations and approaches do exist, open,

transparent, and flexible processes have allowed for mutual satisfaction.

Communities often express a need for recognition, greater inclusion in decision-

making, and involvement in content development, while institutions seek ways

to incorporate living heritage into their frameworks without commodifying or

over-institutionalising it.



Cooperation has taken place in diverse local contexts – from urban centres

to rural communities – involving a wide range of stakeholders: schools, dance

communities, folk dance groups, local authorities, senior citizens, and children.

The timeframe for each activity has generally spanned one to two years, yet

foundations for longer-term partnerships have been established in most cases.

Financial frameworks rely on a combination of European funding, institutional

support, and in-kind contributions from communities, requiring constant

adaptation to the availability of resources.



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 46



Partner roles are clearly defined: institutions provide of the project, providing additional resources, and

organisational, logistical, and supportive functions, reinforcing cross-sectoral links. Maintaining dialogue

often acting as mediators between various groups, beyond the end of the project rests on established

while communities contribute content and are active relationships, open communication, shared values,

co-creators of the programmes. Despite many good and the capacity to collaborate on new initiatives.

practices, some challenges emerged: lack of youth The greatest added value of the project lies in the

interest, stereotypes around folk dance, limited access formation of new sustainable collaboration models

to infrastructure, and funding uncertainty. These between institutions and communities – not based

issues were addressed through participatory methods, on one-off events but on lasting relationships where

fieldwork, hosting events in familiar and accessible the community plays a central role in the creation,

locations, involving local mentors, and tailoring presentation, and transmission of living heritage.

approaches to different age and interest groups.



The implementation plan was designed to allow for

flexible execution within realistic parameters. Events

were modular, adaptable, and responsive to local needs.

Regular evaluation through surveys and direct dialogue

enabled continuous improvement of both content and

approach. Each events of practice exhibition included

reflection and performance assessment, forming a basis

for future activities and enhancements. From a practical

standpoint, institutions handled meeting coordination,

invitations, communications, venue arrangements, basic

funding, and logistics.



Understanding community needs best happens

through field engagement, dialogue, working within

their environments, and enabling them to express

their aspirations. Drawing from local archival material,

personal stories, and oral traditions helps build

authentic relationships based on trust. Through this

process, communities developed tools ranging from

teaching methods, approaches to breaking down

stereotypes, to event and workshop management.

Institutions, in turn, developed tools for presenting

living heritage in exhibitions and participatory dance

events, established digital platforms, and devised new

ways of engaging the public with heritage.



Partnership with external actors (schools,

municipalities, associations, research and educational

institutions) has proven essential, expanding the reach



Introduction Norway Slovenia/SEM Romania Hungary Slovenia/ZRC SAZU Greece Conclusion Guidelines 47





G




IDU



EL



INES UDIES A FO E ST AS ND C R CO EV -CREATED For Cultural EN Workers in Heritage TS Institutions and



Members of Dance O F P



Communities RAC



E E TIC



BIT XHI



ION



S W



IT H D



ANCE COMMUNITIES





WHAT IS AN EVENTS OF PRACTICE WHAT MAKES A CO-CREATED


EXHIBITION? EXHIBITION DIFFERENT?

An Events of Practice Exhibition combines dance, In a co-created exhibition:



exhibitions, and community participation to keep dance • The community decides how their dance, music, and

traditions alive through cultural heritage institutions. traditions are seen, heard and experienced. It brings together co-created exhibition materials, live

dance events, and active dance practices connecting • There is room for spontaneous, embodied and

interactive elements, acknowledging that dance is

dancers, their communities, heritage professionals, and

living, moving, and hard to “freeze” in glass cases

visitors. It is a tool for intergenerational transmission

and safeguarding, and a space for dialogue cultural • The focus is on building relationships, not just

vitality. Above all, it offers opportunities to strengthen delivering an exhibition.

community agency and visibility.



STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE FOR THE CO-CREATION PROCESS



STEP 1: PREPARE FOR ENGAGEMENT - REFLECT ON YOUR

OWN ROLE AND MOTIVATION



STEP 2: UNDERSTAND THE COMMUNITY FIRST - CONDUCT

FIELDWORK WITH CARE



STEP 3: DEFINE COMMON GOALS TOGETHER



STEP 4: RECOURSES



STEP 5: CO-DESIGN THE FORMAT



STEP 6: PREPARE FOR DIVERSE AUDIENCES TOGETHER



STEP 7: EVALUATE THE COLLABORATION



STEP 8: PLAN FOR AFTER THE EXHIBITION



STEP 1: PREPARE FOR ID



ENGAGEMENT - REFLECT EL

ON YOUR OWN ROLE



AND MOTIVATION AS A CULTURAL BEARER WITHIN IN

A DANCE COMMUNITY, ASK



AS A HERITAGE PROFESSIONAL, YOURSELF: ES

ASK YOURSELF: Do I feel the need for outside



Why do I want to engage with support to transmit and share FO this community? my tradition?



What are my institution’s What do I hope to gain R CO responsibilities towards from collaboration? What

safeguarding living heritage? concerns or boundaries do -CREATED I have?

Am I ready for a process that

requires, time, flexibility and

shared authority?

FOR BOTH:

Be transparent about Message to dance communities:

expectations and limitations It’s valid to keep certain

(e.g., funding, time). knowledge or practices

exclusively within the

community.



STEP 2: UNDERSTAND LEAVE ROOM FOR THE Message to dance communities: THE COMMUNITY FIRST UNEXPECTED This is your space to express - CONDUCT FIELDWORK your vision, concerns, and hopes. In Norway, the institutions WITH CARE Fieldwork is not just about being began with a survey followed

Fieldwork means spending time “studied”- it should feel like by meetings and a dance party.



with the dance community to build the beginning of a respectful Only in the second meeting IT trust, understand their practices, conversation. did they share their own goals,



and learn directly from them - in ensuring dancers could answer H D

rehearsals, at performances, during questions like: How can we help

informal gatherings, and through you? What are your dreams for



conversations. The goal is to get to the future? A



know the community, the different N CE 02 groups within the community,

their dance traditions, their ways USE OF ARCHIVAL MATERIALS

of knowledge transmission, their In Romania, museum staff



needs, and their perspectives. shared archival materials to COM Fieldwork lays the foundation for spark conversations, grounding meaningful, equal partnership. the dialogue in local knowledge.



STEP 3: DEFINE EXH

COMMON GOALS ICE

TOGETHER CT

RA



Take time to jointly define the purpose F P



of the collaboration. This is a crucial O



moment to align expectations, needs, TS



and possibilities. Ideally, goals defined EN RE ATE O-C D C

respond to needs, such as revitalizing



a tradition, increasing youth EV C ASE

engagement, raising public awareness, D



documentation, intergenerational AN ST ES UDI

knowledge transfer, or making space

for dance practice.



STEP 4:

RESOURCES Message to dance communities:

Think about the potential impact

BEFORE YOU PROCEED, ASK - both positive and negative

TOGETHER: - of working with the cultural

Do we have the necessary CULTURAL INTERMEDIARIES heritage institution. Do you

knowledge and resources? In Greece, dance teachers have any concerns? Talk to the

Are finances secured? acted as cultural intermediaries, heritage workers openly.

Is there enough time and bridging institutions and

capacity? communities. They facilitated

Are spaces available? dialogue, negotiated heritage

narratives, and advocated for

inclusive safeguarding.

BUILDING TRUST



In Romania, some dancers



hesitated to engage with 04

the museum. The museum

responded with familiarization



sessions, creating a welcoming VENTS OF PR



space and encouraging active D E AC AN TIC

involvement.



S

STEP 5: CO-DESIGN PLAN THOROUGHLY FOR THE FORMAT COLLABORATIVE ELEMENTS LIKE

FILMING



RECOGNIZE THAT DANCE IS At the Slovene Etnographic

EMBODIED, MUSICAL, SOCIAL,

AND OFTEN EPHEMERAL. SO Museum, test sessions and open

GO BEYOND STATIC DISPLAYS. communication before film

TOGETHER EXPLORE: shootings were key, as dancers

Interactive installations often move instinctively and are



(video’s, dance-along spaces) not used to performing for the Message to dance communities: camera. Live practice events within Your active participation remains the exhibition, that combine essential during implementation. dance with live music. LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY’S Your lived knowledge should Objects that support NEEDS AND ADAPT IF NECESSARY guide decisions. storytelling (costumes, instruments, photos) When live dance during opening

And other options. hours proved difficult, the



Slovene Etnographic Museum ENTS OF P

responded by offering virtual



interactive workshops for D EV

visitors.



AN



S



STEP 6: PREPARE FOR BRING THE EXHIBITION BEYOND IE



DIVERSE AUDIENCES INSTITUTION WALLS UD

TOGETHER In Slovenia, pop-up displays



Your exhibition may (and should) in the community centre and ST



reach different audiences: the workshops in local schools E

general public unfamiliar with brought the exhibition back to

the tradition, cultural bearers, the community, reconnecting



elderly people, youth groups and people with their dance AS

schools, ... heritage.



WORK TOGETHER TO: USE DANCE TO SUPPORT C



Adapt language and formats WELLBEING ED

for accessibility In Hungary, dance workshops

Provide alternatives for older for all ages included a special



or less mobile visitors programme for people with AT 06 Regularly check if your dementia, using both standing

activities are inclusive and and seated dances to include RE

adjust if needed everyone and promote physical



and mental health. -C FOR CO

STEP 7: IN

EVALUATE THE



COLLABORATION ES



ONCE THE PROJECT PHASE OF FO

REALISING THE EXHIBITION IS



COMPLETED, REFLECT TOGETHER R CO

ON THE COLLABORATION:



What worked? What needs -CREATED

improvement?

How did the exhibition impact

the safeguarding of dance?



EV How can the experience inform future initiatives?



EN



O TS



F P ITI STEP 8: PLAN ONS FOR AFTER THE EXHIBITION W IT SAFEGUARDING IS A CONTINUOUS FURTHER COLLABORATION H WORK. A CO-CREATED EXHIBITION In Norway, cooperation IS NOT THE END - IT CAN SPARK: D continued beyond the Events of Ongoing dance workshops Practice Exhibition, with school A Educational programmes tours, promotion of traditional N Touring versions for schools and dance and music at the World community centres Championship in Nordic CE Digital archives or virtual genres, and representing C OMMUNITIES exhibitions for diaspora access the community’s interests in Permanent spaces for dance cultural, political and academic practice in accessible locations networks.



08