The Art of Conflict and Restorative Dialogues: Where Choreography and Conflict Resolution Meet

“The Polarity Party” is an immersive, participative event on polarisation, created by the MichaelDouglas Kollektiv, in collaboration with conflict specialist Dana Caspersen (USA). The artistic work supports community reflections on harm and injustice in different areas, such as justice, education, peacebuilding, families, organisations, schools, communities. The public event uses movement, senses, and dialogue to enable a process of collective thinking on polarisation and other challenges which are key in our societies. Large groups of participants (max 120) will step into a field of action where choreography and conflict engagement meet. This event is shaped by collective creative processes, in line with other practices, such as restorative justice, meant to create more just, safe, and connected societies. This partnership also opens up possibilities to engage a wider audience in addition to the festival participants by having access to ERFJ’s local venue network of universities, schools, cultural centers, prisons, and public squares. The four partners are sharing time and their different yet complementary knowledge in the fields of participative performance arts, social change, creating sustainable and safe spaces for artists and audiences, international events management and cooperation, research, and networks to ensure that the collaboration continues beyond Perform Europe. The sustainability of the partnership has also been infused with planned events beyond Perform Europe in Autumn 2022 when they will promote their short film and hold virtual public discussions about the project and future cooperation.