photo: Dario Jacopo Lagana
For great contemporary dance you do not only need amazing performers but also a good space. Luckily our favourite independent theater Sophiensaele has probably one of the most central and beautiful dance stages in town. In terms of dancers you can be sure that inhouse curators like Peter Pleyer (whom we already interviewed before) know where to find the craziest and most talented characters the international dance scene has to offer.
These are just some of the reasons I am excited about the current Tanztage Berlin Festival that present a diverse program full of surprises from January 4-14, 2013. The focus of this year’s edition are the “wild children” of dance in town, meaning the dancers and choreographers that don’t have a typical university degree in dance or choreography but are coming from another context which obviously influences their work. I think this already shows how open-minded the Sophiensaele work. The whole festival is suited also for a Non-German speaking audience. Some recommendations after the jump.
As typical for festivals you have to be open to the experience of seeing something you might love and never forget about, but also to have a strange evening with something so nuts happening on stage that you ask yourself who the fuck actually thinks this is art. The following recommendations are just based on my intuition since I never saw any of the pieces before.
Since I just got back from Korea and Japan I would love to see what Korean choreographers are creating in Berlin. The two pieces New Monters and Between seem to be a good opportunity to experience some Asian flavor mixed with Berlin attitude.
Sometimes I enjoy to be part of the piece and not be in the passive position of a spectator. The SQUART (Spontaneous Queer ART) night is about exchanging ideas and working together. The participants are divided up into groups, each of which create a piece in three hours, working from prompts. Subsequently, all pieces are performed on the same evening in the Festsaal and judged by a celebrity jury. (Sounds like a lot of fun!) Afterwards there will be a party.
photo: Jacques Andre Dupont
Finally, if you want to see a more articulated choreography I think the solo-piece A chacun sa marotte from a French choreographer will be something to look into. Enjoy the festival with an open mind and venture into this part of Berlin’s alternative art scene like you never did before.
