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Are ballet dancers just puppets hanging on the strings of their choreographers? Unable to act on their own will, damned to display moves that others have pushed on them. And what happens if the dancers cut their strings to roam the stage. Chaos or beauty? Or maybe a dark combination of both?
In the new trilogy of Staatsballett by Gentian Doda, Marco Goecke, and Nacho Duato the dancers of the ballet company seem to be possessed by different spells of an old book. This triple-performance-night is the last contemporary premiere of the director Nacho Duato who is leaving the Staatsballett next season. And if you think ballet is family friendly amusement, you will rethink that after seeing this trilogy. It has even an age limit not allowing children in the audience.
For this particular night of exceptional dance, we are giving away 2×2 tickets to our readers. Find out how after the jump.
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by Claudio | Theater
The approach to theater by Gal and Matan from The progressive wave is a quite unique and different one than what you might be used to on the stages of Berlin’s independent theater scene. It’s hard to define it sometimes because each piece incorporates different disciplines. For instance their last production Lights & Vessels which was the first part of a theatrical trilogy called Science of Signs presented itself as a lecture on philosophy, alchemy and Kabbala. There were elements of contemporary dance in it, but for the most part it really worked by its own definition.
The second part of the trilogy is called Oráculo and it premieres tonight at Ballhaus Ost as part of the ID Festival with encores on Saturday and Sunday. This time the topics of spirituality and religion are at the core of the piece, but from a very different angle. Embedded into a beautifully elaborate set design that keeps on changing and adapting over time we see different rituals and performative interpretations of religious imagery. It’s a very calming and hypnotic experience to watch this piece, especially the shamanic ritual will really draw you in. There are also a lot of innovative and experimental elements in it that bring in techniques of crafts and arts that are really fascinating to watch. I highly recommend you get tickets for one of the three shows of Oráculo this weekend! Some impressions from the piece below.
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by Frank | Theater
photo: Anna Agliardi.
The story begins as a typical Berlin fairytale: Three dancers from Syria, refugees, unwanted and threatened artist in their homeland, find a new destiny for themselves and their art in Berlin. With an Israeli choreographer that supports their dreams and helps them to find a new artistic way of expressing themselves putting their story on stage here in Berlin.
But the creative process behind Come as you are, the new piece from Nir de Volff, Medhat Aldaabal, Moufak Aldoabl, and Amr Karkout, is much more complex than a fairytale. In several public rehearsals, the dancers and the choreographer invited the public to be part of the creation. A creation that was full of confrontations with the current political situation but also with deeply personal stories with little heartfelt banalities and the big big questions: What is the meaning of all this suffering? What is my body made for? And will I ever be free?
No easy answers to all of that, except maybe that dance, is humanity’s most universal language and the key to understanding each other. No matter if we are German, Syrian, Jewish, Muslim, gay or straight. The dates and address and more beautiful pics by Anna Agliardi below.
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by Claudio | Theater
photos: Laetitia Bica
What makes a city a radical place? Conflicts and aggression? Melting pots of cultures? Extremity and irregularities? Or a specific energy that runs through the streets of the city like blood filled with adrenaline through human veins? I have never been to Brussels so far, but I heard it’s a special city. On the one hand tons of young passionate idealistic global citizen working for NGOs and the European Union. On the other hand, old-school politicians, lobbyists and international companies doing what they do best: capitalism. In that mix performance, art, dance and theater have a powerful nourishing ground of ambivalence to get inspiration from.
Therefore we are very excited to collaborate as media partners with Radialsystem V for the upcoming dance festival RADIKAL. Featuring over 20 contemporary dancers and choreographers from over 10 countries this festival has a unique program we would like to present to you. Under the patronage of Sasha Waltz on the 3rd and 4th of November eight performances will take place in one of our favorite theater stages in town. We are giving away 1×2 Tickets for Radical Light from Salva Sanchis. More pictures, the trailer and the program after the jump.
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by Claudio | Theater
When you visit one of the many abandoned places of Berlin you will most likely find traces of previous visits, or even habitation there. Squatters, ravers, sprayers, vandals, urban explorers. They all left their marks on these forgotten buildings of Berlin and contribute to the decay of what these places once were. If you’re lucky you might even find some traces of creativity there.
When I first stepped into the abandoned railroad yard in Pankow last summer I was amazed by the spectacular light inside the circular building that came in through the panoramic windows in the ceiling. The place itself was completely empty and pretty much devastated by vandalism. But within all the debris and decay I found golden confetti and feathers on the floor like a little glimmer of hope and joy. It looked like someone had a good time there not too long ago. Maybe a small party, or an euphoric photo shoot. Either way it was another trace of life in an otherwise dead place.
When I stumbled about the contemporary dance video titled “Ephemeral Rooms” by Ruben Reniers and Nora Vladiguerov that was shot in this location earlier this year I was reminded of my visit. Just like whoever left the golden confetti the two choreographers and dancers breathed some life into this abandoned place with their beautiful performance.
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by Frank | Videos
photo: Denis Koone Kuhnert
Berlin is dynamic, Berlin loves to dance and Berlin loves to Vogue. So it comes as no surprise that the Voguing scene of Berlin is becoming more and more popular.
Originally from New York’s queer scene, Voguing is inspired by fashion runways. Exaggerated movements are being turned into fierce, strong, overacted self-presentations. The participants of the scene divide themselves into different “houses”, which are more of a family substitute than just a dance crew.
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by Guest Author | Party
photos: Thai Hoang
Over the weekend I stumbled across an awesome photo series by Thai Hoang that I want to share with you today. Some of you might also know the young photographer from his Instagram account loewe7 that was also part of our #berlin exhibition last year. As part of the monthly Instameet #CamerasAndDancers organized by Jacob Jonas The Company Thai had the opportunity to follow a group of five dancers through Berlin and capture them in stunning formations in various iconic Berlin backgrounds. I love the idea of this Instameet, I love the guys from the group and I love the results of this photo shoot!
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by Frank | Photos
photos: Yan Revazov
Can contemporary ballet express a clear political message? How to express clear opinions of the status quo with such an abstract art form as dance? It might be a crazy challenge, but I am very glad that the new director of the Staatsballet Berlin Nacho Duato is once again going on a creative journey with the dance company to create impact on society and culture with his new piece “Herrumbre”. With it, he tries to elaborate on his own experience of the 2004 terrorist attacks in Madrid. Nacho Duato lived only a few hundred meters away from one of the four bombing locations. 2004 was also the year in which photos of tortured prisoners from the US prison camp Guantanamo went around the world.
Under these impressions, Duato decided to create a new work based on his experience with terror. In his choreography he wants to show the pain caused by terrorism and the brutality of war. With disturbing images of brutal humiliation, he wants to make us explore the darkness of our times. At the same time, he also wants his production to be a call for the respect of human dignity. After the jump we show you intimate images of the rehearsals. We are also giving away tickets for the upcoming shows.
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by Claudio | Art, Theater
photos: Anna Agliardi
Working as a contemporary dancer is incredibly hard. You need an amazing passion (and talent) to have a real shot at something called a career. But even with all the attributes that might define you as a perfect dancer getting jobs in Berlin is not easy. Fortunately there are places and events that have so much dedication for contemporary dance that I might have some hopes for the future for this discipline here in town.
Once a year the festival Tanztage Berlin at Sophiensaele brings together all the passionate people and the most enthusiastic newcomers the city has to offer. Last night we saw the premiere of the two pieces Vox/Dust that opened the festival. Especially watching the four handsome guys perform the second piece Dust by choreographer and dancer Roderick George was an amazing experience. They had such an amazing energy and an intense vocabulary of movements. Tonight you have another chance to see it. Photos and a trailer of the piece Dust, after the jump. Read on…
by Claudio | Photos, Theater
From time to time we have the wonderful opportunity to enjoy an extraordinary dinner experience such as a secret supper club. We love these kind of dinners were random strangers meet at a house of another stranger and get surprised by all kinds of delicacies. These types of dinners take a special place in our memory not only for the food but also for the interesting encounters with the other supper club guests. Berlin has so many wonderful supper clubs to offer and some of them we reviewed over here. One supper club we would like to recommend today is called Le Articioche and is organised by two Italian girls living in Neukölln. Their special recipe: for every dinner they serve they invite a special artist to give a creative contribution. For the one we went too, we had the chance to enjoy contemporary dance in between the courses of tasty Italian dishes.
This Wednesday they will have another supper club with the topic abstraction. A performance by Sub Human Bros will create the right atmosphere to guide you into the abstraction era! Don’t miss this intense experience and reserve your seat since the capacity is limited. By staying in touch with their facebook page you will know when their next dinner will take place. After the jump you will find some photos from the last supper club we attended to.
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by Claudio | Art, Neukölln, Restaurants
