PAN.OPTIKUM: POWER OF DIVERSITY-THE CROSSING LINES PROJECT (GERMANY/SPAIN)

PAN.OPTIKUM: 'POWER OF DIVERSITY- THE CROSSING LINES PROJECT'

Power of Diversity – The Crossing Lines Project is a European large-scale cooperation project co-funded by the Creative Culture Programme of the European Union in which 40 young people, selected and trained by the German company Pan.Optikum for three years, take part. The Gran-Canarian capital was the first to initiate the project, in which the TEMUDAS Theater, Music and Dance Festival participates, not only as a platform for its first show’s premiere, but as one of the ten partners and festivals that, under the German company’s direction, have made it possible.

The project aims to promote a new and young theater in order to reach and integrate new audiences from different backgrounds. The medium of expression for the productions is based on urban rhythms like dance and hip hop with rap lyrics, in addition to acrobatics and theater.

The Proyect

In the first phase of the project (2015-2016), a large-scale production was developed in Freiburg, Germany, and was later premiered on July 28, 2017. Then it toured the festivals of the ten partners in seven European countries, with a focus on those cities’ history, location or some other special characteristic. The enthusiasm and professionalism displayed by these young performers, who were their own shows’ promoters, have been key to the success of this project, which has five Canarian participants, as well as three other from each partner city. The tour will come to an end at the Festival.

The Company

Pan.Optikum is one of Europe’s most important companies, renowned for their spectacular theatrical outdoor shows. They have already performed their works at TEMUDAS: in 2004 with the awarded show Il Corso, and in 2013, with TRANSITion. The company, created in 1982 by a group of artists belonging to the Le Coq circus school of Paris, finds its origins within street theater, even though their shows have evolved into something completely new that they describe as a “cultural cross”.