In 2009, out of the need to find a choreographic language that could satisfy specific choreographic concerns, AI DŌ PROJECT was created with the support of the Basque Country Government. AI DŌ PROJECT merges together contemporary dance and Aikido to create a unique style and way of approaching movement.
The word "aikido" is formed of three kanji characters that are used in the modern Japanese writing system:
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合 – ai – joining, unifying, combining, fitting.
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気 – ki – spirit, energy, mood, morale.
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道 – dō – way, path.
AI DŌ (合道) PROJECT integrates the production of new contemporary dance works whilst teaching technical classes, workshops and repertoire to students and professional dancers in several countries, such as: Anton Bruckner Privatuniversität (Linz, Austria), Institut del Teatre (Barcelona, Spain), CSDMA Dance Conservatoire (Madrid, Spain), SEEDS (Girona, Spain), LaCantera (México DF), Academia de la Danza Mexicana (Mexico DF), CODARTS (Rotterdam, Netherlands) and Folkwang (Essen, Germany).
Since the founding of AI DŌ PROJECT several creations and collaborations stand out:
[fi: l] dance production. Denmark, 2009.
Instants que Moren. Spain, 2009.
Uke Nage. Spain, 2010.
(im)possibilities. Holland, 2011.
Verfallen. Spain, 2011.
Ojos en la nuca. Spain, 2012.
Invisible Beauty. Spain, 2013.
Portraits of the Belle Époque. Spain, 2013.
Please, Meat, Me. China, 2014.
In front of the mirror I stand all alone. México, 2014.
Because who is perfect? Spain, 2014.
119.104. Spain, 2014.
Invisible Beauty. Spain, 2014.
Newman. The Netherlands, 2015.
Grooming. Spain, 2015-16.
Speaking Walls. Spain, 2016.
Plummet. Germany, 2017.
Ed.Elgar. Spain, 2017.
IKER ARRUE
Born in San Sebastian, Basque Country - Spain, Iker Arrue first studied architecture before immersing himself in the world of dance.
As a dancer, he has worked with several choreographers in Spain, Holland and Denmark.
As a creator, he has collaborated in projects with media artists, musicians, sculptors and theatre playwrights in places like Mexico, China and Switzerland. He has also been member of Dance and Performativity, a series of lectures proposing an analytical gaze on contemporary dance while trying to answer some questions in the field of philosophy and aesthetics.
Currently he is the director of AI DŌ PROJECT, an initiative supported by the Basque Country Government for the development of projects where contemporary dance and Aikido merge in order to develop a new choreographic language.
