Paula | iHeartBerlin.de

Creative Forces in Berlin: An Interview with Choreographer Constanza Macras

photos: Frank R. Schröder.

Constanza Macras is one of the creative souls of Berlin, who enriches our favorite city through her ideas and impulses. Born in Buenos Aires, she studied dance and fashion design before a good mix of coincidence and purpose led her to Amsterdam, New York and, finally, to Berlin. In 2003 she founded the DorkyPark Company, an interdisciplinary ensemble that works with dance, text, live music, and film. In their latest piece DRAMA, which celebrated its premiere in January, a group of performers explores the possibilities of stage space in the post-pandemic age, probing the relationship between real stage space and virtual networks.

I had the chance to ask Constanza a few questions for iHeartBerlin about her new piece, her life, and her perspectives on the arts scene.

This week you can watch both DRAMA and their previous production The Future at Volksbühne on June 22 and 23.

Strange Berlin: 10 Things You Didn’t Yet Know About Our Favorite City

by Paula | Stories

You know Berlin like the inside of your pocket? No one can fool you when it comes to facts about the German capital? We dare to try and present you ten curious things that you might not have known at all. And with which you can shine during the next visit of non-Berliners. Whether it’s a historical event, statistics on animal excrement or genuine (and not so genuine) Berlin biographies – these items show that Berlin can still surprise us in 2023.

Brave New Fashion: This Is The Next Generation of Berlin Designers

by Paula | Design, Fashion, Most Popular Posts

Berlin’s fashion scene and especially our local Fashion Week have gone through some fundamental changes in recent years. What we appreciate most about it is: It has shed the old veil of the past and presented itself in a new guise. What we have seen here in the past year brought together everything our fashion hearts desire: exceptional talents from Berlin, whose creations surprise us, captivate us, blow us away, and inspire us to dream. Believe us: we had more than one moment where we thought: “Wait, what’s happening right now? And is this really happening in good old Berlin?”

In our opinion, six labels in particular have the potential to be true game changers, not only shaping Berlin through their work but also re-establishing the city in the ranks of the international fashion scene. What impresses us most about them is their courage to break with conventions and rethink fashion. They say goodbye to superficialities and celebrate craftsmanship, individuality, sustainability, and diversity. And an equally new and fresh audience celebrated them during Berlin Fashion Week. We have the feeling that Berlin propelled itself into a new era and our favorite city is finally showing again why it can easily keep up with the big fashion metropolises of this world.

Art in Berlin: 5 Exhibitions You Shouldn’t Miss

by Paula | Art, Galleries, Museums

It’s a strange time right now, isn’t it? Winter is over and spring is not yet here. Or, to put it another way, it’s too mild not to leave the house and too cold to stay out in the fresh air for long. So if you just want to get outside without freezing, you should head for the nearest museum. Because some of Berlin’s art houses are offering us not only a change of scenery and heated rooms right now, but also really good exhibitions.

Here are five of them that are worth leaving the house for:

A Hidden Gem in Berlin: The Noack Foundry & Bar Brass Restaurant

by Paula | Art, Museums, Restaurants

left: artwork by Tony Cragg, right: Bar Brass.

You all know the story of Alice in Wonderland, right? Young Alice falls down a rabbit hole one day and lands in a magical world unknown to her. That’s more or less what it’s like when you visit the Bildgießerei Noack in Berlin. Maybe you haven’t even thought about it, considering all the art to be discovered in Berlin. Why this should change as soon as possible, I tell you here.

Most of the time, all roads to art lead to the Museum Island – after all, there’s a lot to see there. But sometimes you get off the path. Then you may suddenly find yourself in front of an impressive industrial building that calls itself the Bildgießerei Noack. What at first glance is architecturally stunning carries in its interior the history of a long tradition: the casting of sculptures.

The Hottest Calendars for 2023 Created by Berlin Artists

by Paula | Art, Products

The end of the year is coming. Not long now and the old familiar feelings are spreading: a bit of melancholy, a touch of longing, but above all the anticipation of the new year. It’s not called “New Year, new happiness” for nothing, is it?

And even if you already had a lot of joy in 2022, I’m sure we all share the desire to have even more of it in 2023. Be it through traveling, festivities, reunions, work or time for ourselves. We just shouldn’t lose track of all our plans. And what better way to keep organized than with the enchanting calendars of Berlin’s artists? We have looked around and compiled the most beautiful among the beauties for you.

Club Tarot: From Mate Drinks to Tarot Cards

by Paula | Products

Club Mate fans take note: Have you ever stared into your Club Mate and wondered who you really are? Have you ever wanted to really explore yourself? Find out what paths, opportunities, and feelings the universe has in store for you? Then you no longer have to stare at the bottom of the empty bottle. Because we have the right deck of cards for you – literally.

Club Tarot is the new must-have for all fans of the cult drink and friends of self-reflection. The card set consists of 78 lovely-designed tarot cards and a guidebook, which explains in detail how you can dive into the world of tarot. All beautifully sorted in a box whose design, of course, reminds us of our beloved Mate.

Enjoying Together: Of Inclusive Food and Non-Binary Gingerbread

by Paula | Christmas, Food, Market

photo: Manfred Weber.

Have you ever experienced this? You’re standing in front of a packed buffet at the company Christmas party and you’re just about to start feasting when you think: wait a minute, where are the vegan and gluten-free dishes? Sometimes you’re lucky and find at least a selection of, well, one dish. But often there are simply no dishes that meet one or the other criterion – let alone both. Eating then becomes an exclusive and, let’s face it, exceedingly monotonous affair.