Reflections from PAMS 2015

Terrific, successful, and valuable networking at the Performing Arts Market Seoul (PAMS) for the American Dance Abroad delegation. Fifth year in a row that the U.S. had a visible presence, and more so this year. For the first time, an American company – inkBoat from San Francisco – was presented by the Seoul International Dance Festival (SIDANCE) during the conference. This was the result of Shinichi’s previous relationship building experiences through American Dance Abroad and his ongoing connection to Mr. LEE Jong-ho, artistic director of SIDANCE.

The delegation. L-R: Dana Iova-Koga, Carolelinda Dickey, Andrea Snyder, Heidi Duckler, Bernard Schmidt, and Shinichi Iova-Koga.

The delegation included Bernard Schmidt (agent, New York), Heidi Duckler (artistic director, Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre, Los Angeles), and Shinichi Iova-Koga and Dana Iova-Koga (artistic director and associate director, inkBoat, San Francisco).   The single ADA booth was dwarfed by the three-tiered booths for CINARS, Dance from Spain, and the Hong Kong Arts Development Council surrounding it in our Exhibit Hall aisle, but that did not deter our team. We all did our best to represent American dance and to make connections with interested programmers. Our delegates were generous and diplomatic, and each invested time and effort to get to know international colleagues. Some of the best, serendipitous networking happened on buses and in venue lobbies. Heidi and Dana commented that the most intimate conversations happened with other artists, and that getting the big picture view was analogous to planting seeds in a garden. It takes repetition, time, patience, and persistence.