The First Session of Asia-Pacific Dance Dialogues!

First Steps Towards Publication, for Emerging Dance Scholars

If you’re an emerging dance scholar, placing your first publication in a respected peer-reviewed journal can seem like an impossible hurdle. Which journals are appropriate for your topic? What are the processes for submitting a paper? What can you expect after your paper is accepted? And where do you go from there?

Join dance scholars Sumedha Bhattacharyya (India) and Shanny Rann Chuah (Malaysia) in an online discussion as they share their experience of publishing articles in the Journal of Emerging Dance Scholarship. Emerging scholar Al Bernard Garcia (Philippines) will contribute his perspective from within the Southeast Asian dance academe.

Register now to join the discussion, and bring us your questions about writing for publication, working with editors, the pressure to publish, or predatory journals – get the tools you need to dance confidently towards publication!

Register here: https://forms.gle/ezS9FdjYnjX2kxcB8
Participation is free. Only registered participants will receive the link to the Zoom discussion.

Moderated by Bilqis Hijjas (Malaysia) and organised with Joelle Jacinto (Philippines).

Date: Thursday 21 March
Time: 5pm NZDT, 3pm AEDT, 12 noon CST, 10am BST, 9:30am IST, 4am GMT.
Find your time zone here
Platform: Zoom
Length of session: 90 minutes max

About the Speakers

Shanny Rann is a dance anthropologist and PhD Candidate in Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies at Simon Fraser University (Canada). Her current research focuses on Taijiquan in diaspora from the women’s perspective. She has been training under Master Li Rong of Sanxing Taiji in Vancouver, Canada since 2016. She is also the editor of Dance Central, the founder of Choreo Dance Film Festival and the curator of Cross-Cultural Dance Resources.

Sumedha Bhattacharyya is an interdisciplinary dance artist, choreographer, researcher, and dance filmmaker. She is pursuing her PhD in Ethnomusicology in University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (Austria), studying maternal memories and their relationship with sound and movement, in the context of mass migration and displacement. Currently a faculty member at Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities, and guest faculty at Ashoka University, Barnard College for Women, Columbia University, she is teaching Screendance and Interdisciplinary seminar courses. She is also the founder of a dance film production, curation, research and educational collective initiative – Duet with Camera.

As an Erasmus Mundus Scholar, with a focus on screendance filmmaking, dance anthropology, and visual ethnography, she traveled, lived together, and collaborated with a range of forms, communities, and dance-theatre makers across local, national, and international locations. She is an Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) awardee under Goldsmiths University (UK), for her project Water Nodes integrating motion capture technology with performance and intergenerational maternal memories.

Al Garcia is a Taiwan-based Filipino dance artist, choreographer, and educator. He received his MFA in Dance (Choreography) from Nanhua University, Taiwan and was awarded the 2024 Outstanding Alumni for Arts and Culture. He was previously a dance artist of Tjimur Dance Theatre (Taiwan). Al is a graduate of the Philippine High School for the Arts specializing in Philippine Folk Dance and received his diploma in dance from the University of the Philippines-Diliman. As an independent dance artist in Manila, he created choreographies for dance companies, theater productions, and cultural initiatives. Al also performs and does collaborative works in Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, USA and France. He won first prize at the WiFi Body Contemporary Dance Festival 2012 New Choreographers Competition (Philippines) and featured the winning piece at the Yokohama Dance Collection EX Showcase 2013 (Japan). His choreographies are distinct in integrating Philippine folk dance and contemporary dance idioms.

Al is also involved in education and community development work. He was part of the faculty and established the dance programs for Guang Ming College (Philipines) and Philippine High School for the Arts Senior High. He founded Guang Ming Dance Project in 2015 and is a member of the Contemporary Dance Network Manila.


Asia-Pacific Dance Dialogues explore current issues and viewpoints in dance around the region and the world, with invited dancers, choreographers, scholars and other dance practitioners. This monthly online series is hosted by World Dance Alliance chapters from the Asia-Pacific region, and reflects on topics in education and training, research and documentation, creation and presentation, and support and development.

Join us with your questions, share your unique perspectives, and strengthen your professional networks, as together we gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for dance in our world.

In 2024, these sessions are free and open to all; registration is required.


December 2023 Edition of Asia-Pacific Channels

Happy New Year! The December 2023 edition of Asia-Pacific Channels is here. This biannual magazine of World Dance Alliance Asia-Pacific features reports from our executive committee, our organisational chapters and our partner organisation WDAAE.

If you don’t have time to read the whole thing, please do check out Stella Lau’s comprehensive summary of all the organisational chapter reports in her Vice President’s report on page 3, and flip through for the beautiful and inspiring images of dance from across the Asia-Pacific. 

Download the magazine in PDF format [2.6MB].

Cover image and above: ‘Treble Idea’, choreographed by Ethel Deidre Daniel and performed by students of the National Academy of Arts, Culture & Heritage (ASWARA), at Dancebox September 2023, Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, Malaysia. Photo: Benedict Yee

Back issues of Channels can be downloaded from here. The archive of Channels dating back to 1996 is available from the Ausdance website.

June 2023 Edition of Asia-Pacific Channels

The biannual magazine of World Dance Alliance Asia-Pacific contains reports from our executive committee, our network chairs and our organisational chapters.

Some highlights in this edition:

  • The upcoming Ocean Dance Festival in Bangladesh, which will also host this year’s WDAAP Annual General Meeting
  • Reports from WDAAP’s first participation at the famed Khajuraho Dance Festival in 2023
  • The proposed calendar for the next 8 months from the Support & Development Network

…as well as beautiful and inspiring images of dance from across the Asia-Pacific. 

Download the magazine in PDF format [5.31MB].

Cover image of this edition and above: The WDA contingent at daybreak at the UNESCO World Heritage Site Khajuraho temples, during the Khajuraho Dance Festival 2023, India. Photo: Dance Alliance India

Back issues of Channels can be downloaded from here. The archive of Channels dating back to 1996 is available from the Ausdance website.

December 2022 Edition of Asia-Pacific Channels

The biannual magazine of World Dance Alliance Asia-Pacific contains reports from our executive committee, our network chairs and our country chapters.

Some highlights in this edition:

  • A call for submissions to the next edition of JEDS, the Journal of Emerging Dance Scholarship, submission deadline 1 March 2023
  • The first report from our newest chapter organisation, WDAAP Beijing
  • A report from the World Alliance for Arts Education highlighting the upcoming summit in Madeira in March 2023

…as well as beautiful and inspiring images of dance from across the Asia-Pacific region.

Download the magazine in PDF format [3.3MB]:

Cover image of this edition, and above: Students of Peniel High School of Arts in ‘Rain on the Fresh Green’, a performance at the Young Dance Festival at the 2022 World Dance, Expo in Seoul, at Seong Center for the Performing Arts, 30-31 August 2022, produced by World Dance Alliance – Korea. Photo: Hanfilm.

Back issues of Channels can be downloaded from here. The archive of Channels dating back to 1996 is available from the Ausdance website.

June 2022 Edition of Asia-Pacific Channels

The biannual magazine of World Dance Alliance Asia-Pacific contains reports from our executive committee, our network chairs and our country chapters, as well as reports from the recent World Dance Alliance Executive Meeting and WDA Asia-Pacific Annual General Meeting.

Some highlights in this edition:

  • A feature from the Korea chapter, including this year’s International Dance Day message by Korean dancer Kang Sue-Jin;
  • An announcement of the new website for JEDS, the Journal of Emerging Dance Scholarship;
  • A report from the World Alliance for Arts Education on recent activities celebrating International Arts Education Week;

…as well as beautiful and inspiring images of dance from across the Asia-Pacific region.

Cover image for this edition, and image above: Dancers from Pichet Klunchun Dance Company outdoors in Paris in December 2021, after the performance of classical Khon masked dance piece “The Combat of Rama and Todsakan,” at Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac. Photo: Korn Takang

Back issues of Channels can be downloaded from here. The archive of Channels dating back to 1996 is available from the Ausdance website.

New Website for JEDS

The Research & Documentation network of World Dance Alliance has launched new website for the Journal of Emerging Dance Scholarship (JEDS).

JEDS is designed to serve the needs of international dance scholars who are currently enrolled in a graduate program or within 5 years of having graduated from a graduate program in dance or a related field. Articles featured in JEDS are selected through a double-blind review process by international reviewers with strong publishing records and established expertise in diverse fields of dance.

Check out the new website at http://jedsonline.in

Calling for Guest Editors for JEDS

The Journal of Emerging Dance Scholarship (JEDS) invites applications for 2022-2023 Guest Editors.  

JEDS is an open access online journal produced by World Dance Alliance. JEDS publishes new research from scholars who are enrolled or within five years of earning a graduate degree in dance or a related area. Articles featured in JEDS are selected through a double-blind review process by international reviewers with strong publishing records and established expertise in diverse fields of dance. Articles are selected based on their originality of research and the contributions each makes to the future of dance praxis (theory and practice). The journal is currently produced in English.

The JEDS Advisory Committee is seeking several applicants to serve on a team of Editors for a two year term. The team of Guest Editors will do the following:

  • Invite and collect articles for submission
  • Distribute articles for blind review
  • Assimilate reviews and communicate with authors
  • Answer questions and assist authors with re-drafting 
  • Ready final drafts for online production by copyediting, captioning images, posting articles to the WordPress online forum

The team will be chosen from the applicant pool to represent the multiplicity of participating WDA regions. The team will work together, dividing the responsibilities in ways that make sense for the team and the journal. The team will need to meet with each other and communicate easily with each other and the JEDS Advisory Committee in order to establish and be accountable to a timeline and best practices in producing JEDS.

Submission Process

Please submit:

  1. CV (with mention of publication, teaching) – not more than 500 words.
  2. A vision statement – not more than 500 words.
  3. Send your application with a cover letter containing your email, contact details.
  4. Send the email to:  JEDSsubmissions2020@gmail.com
  5. Last date for submission: 30 March 2022.

December 2021 Edition of Asia-Pacific Channels

Erl Sorilla's work "Musa", filmed at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Photo: Lester John Reguindin

The biannual magazine of World Dance Alliance Asia-Pacific contains reports from our executive committee, our network chairs and our country chapters, as well as updates on upcoming events.

This edition features:

  • A report on WDAAP’s project to raise and distribute funds for seed grants for dance makers in India & Bangladesh;
  • More information about the upcoming SWEAT Hong Kong International Dance Workshop Festival in June, which will host the 2022 World Dance Alliance Global Summit;
  • A discussion on abuse of power within the dance community, by Paramita Saha of unmute.help, reprinted from Narthaki.com;

…as well as beautiful and inspiring images of dance from across the Asia-Pacific region.

Download the magazine in PDF format.

Cover image for this edition: Erl Sorilla’s “Musa”, filmed at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Photo: Lester John Reguindin.

Back issues of Channels can be downloaded from here. The archive of Channels dating back to 1996 is available from the Ausdance website.

“Begin Again” – Small Grants for Individual Dance Makers

World Dance Alliance Asia-Pacific invites applications for the “Begin Again” Small Grants for Individual Dance Makers, to support young and emerging dancers and choreographers from India and Bangladesh.

In these challenging times, dancers and choreographers in Bangladesh and India have undergone a particularly harsh struggle. Not only have they coped with loss of livelihood, but also with the huge anxiety and suffering that accompanied the recent wave of COVID-19 illness and death across the subcontinent.

“Begin Again” Small Grants aim to:

  • Encourage dance makers and choreographers to “Begin Again” and continue their work, despite challenging circumstances. 
  • Provide funding for young, emerging dancers/choreographers to “kick start” their creativity and innovation and to push the boundaries of their artistic practice. 
  • Connect dancers & choreographers with each other for peer review and feedback. 
  • Enable dance artists to showcase their work to the world through digital channels and platforms while pandemic measures and limitations are in place.

Each of the ten successful applicants will receive:

  • USD $300 to put towards the development of a new dance work: a 2-3 minute dance video, in any genre, solo or group, filmed and presented as one continuous take.
  • Peer review and feedback for the development of the dance video.
  • Showcase of the dance video at SWEAT Festival in Hong Kong during the World Dance Alliance Global Summit events from 22-24 Jun 2022.

To apply for the grant, please read the guidelines in the document below, and return the completed application form to wdaapbenefit@gmail.com.

Deadline for applications: 1 October 2021.

Grant Guidelines & Application Form:

PDF Format [109kb]
Word DOC format [259kb]

Thanks

“Begin Again” Small Grants for Individual Dance Makers is an outcome of “Building Resilience” A Covid Fundraising Benefit for Dance Makers in India & Bangladesh. Thanks to all our generous donors and to Sashar Zarif and the Chand Family for making this project possible.

June 2021 edition of Asia-Pacific Channels Magazine

A still from Kabaligtaran ng Gunaw, a dance  film choreographed by Ronelson Yadao, directed  by Jerrold Tarog, in the  Philippines. Photo: Pong Ignacio.

We have just published our June 2021 edition of Asia-Pacific Channels, the biannual magazine of World Dance Alliance Asia-Pacific.

The biannual magazine of World Dance Alliance Asia-Pacific contains reports from our executive committee, our network chairs and our country chapters, as well as updates on upcoming events.

Featured in this edition:

  • An intimate and affectionate obituary remembering Dr Sunil Kothari, a long-time member of WDAAP, contributed by arts journalist Sadanand Menon;
  • An announcement of our Covid fundraising benefit for dance makers in India and Bangladesh, which is coming up soon;
  • The call for submissions for the 2021 edition of the Journal of Emerging Dance Scholarship;
  • A new section of reports from our partner organisations, featuring updates from the World Alliance for Arts Education and daCi (dance and the Child International);

…as well as beautiful and inspiring images of dance from across the Asia-Pacific.

Channels cover image: Hideout, choreographed by Wenjinn Luo, performed by Scarecrow Contemporary Dance Company, Taiwan. Photo: Shi-fan Tsai.

Download the PDF from our website, free to share with your dance communities: http://www.wda-ap.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Channels_June_2021-1.pdf

Back issues of Channels can be downloaded from here. The archive of Channels dating back to 1996 is available from the Ausdance website.

[Top image: A still from Kabaligtaran ng Gunaw, a dance film choreographed by Ronelson Yadao, directed by Jerrold Tarog, in the Philippines. Photo: Pong Ignacio.
Channels cover image: Hideout, choreographed by Wenjinn Luo, performed by Scarecrow Contemporary Dance Company, Taiwan. Photo: Shi-fan Tsai.]