Sophiensæle

AHMED SOURA: AU PRÊT DU TEMPS

Premiere

With his energetically charged body, this Burkina Faso-born choreographer is a movement poet. In this piece, Ahmed Soura works against the linear progression of time, proposing that it moves in spiraling loops instead. He sees himself grounded in a society that has traditional roots, but which cannot escape the developments of the 21st century. It is an attempt to break out, which ultimately only helps to speed up progress.

The names in Soura’s multi-faceted résumé demonstrate his ability to engage in all kinds of different settings: Irène Tassembedo, Konstantin Tsakalidis, Christoph Schlingensief, Christoph Winkler and the Deutsche Oper Berlin. In discussion as well as when performing, it is clear that he can elaborately articulate his intentions as well as his body.

"The performance “Au prêt du Temps” draws the spectator's attention to the center of the stage. It lets the spectator live the cause and effects of Man in a modern, yet traditionally rooted, society.Through use of an undulating body in spiral, and by expanding and dilating within a circle limited by images of revolution." - Ahmed Soura

CONCEPT / CHOREOGRAPHY Ahmed Soura PERFORMANCE Ahmed Soura COSTUME Kerstin Junge LIGHT DESIGN Michael Dietze LIVEMUSIC Johannes Lauer COPRODUCTION Tanztage Berlin / Sophiensæle, Ahmed Soura Kompanie THANKS TO Jozi.tv und Studio Katakomben

KARETH SCHAFFER: AS EASY AS 1, 2, 3

Kareth Schaffer wants to be a mover and shaker (and shake things up!), and she asks herself how achieve this. No wonder this BA graduate from the Inter-University Centre for Dance Berlin (HZT) is committed to cultural-political issues (“Artists pledge!”). We value her for this commitment, as we think it remains important for emerging artists to be invested in cultural politics.

"‘As Easy as 1, 2, 3’ explores the bare minimum needed to tell a story of love born and lost on the stage—a minimum amount of light (1 light on the floor) , a minimum amount of images (6 images), a minimum amount of time (3 minutes), and a minimum amount of movement." -Kareth Schaffer

CONCEPT / CHOREOGRAPHY Kareth Schaffer DANCE / PERFORMANCE Anna Lena Lehr, Kareth Schaffer COSTUME Stine Frandsen LIGHT DESIGN Max Stelzl THANKS TO HZT Berlin, Ana Laura Lozza

JORGE RODOLFO DE HOYOS: DEPARTING THINGS

Premiere

Jorge Rodolfo De Hoyos arrived from San Francisco just last year, a city known for an arts community that confidently engages its sexuality, gender and identity. Therefore works that are driven by larger political questions and take radical positions are no rarity. Under the title “How to move to Berlin”, De Hoyos has worked out a 12-point plan for himself that addresses the economic and creative challenges of existence as an artist on the move. We are looking forward to seeing what his relocation to Berlin set in motion.

He self-identifies as a pirate or Robin Hood, and has been influenced by his collaborations with Keith Hennessy and Meg Stuart. He has also worked with Sara Shelton Mann, with whom he learned to access physical states via energy work. This current, hugely popular work has become better known in Berlin through Meg Stuart.

"A dance of constant departures and arrivals. Bodies dis-integrating- traveling between density and beings of light."- Jorge Rodolfo De Hoyos

CONCEPT / DIRECTION Jorge Rodolfo De Hoyos CHOREOGRAPHY / PERFORMANCE Anna Lena Lehr, Asaf Aharonson, Jorge Rodolfo De Hoyos, Thomas Proksch COPRODUCTION Tanztage Berlin / Sophiensæle HZT Berlin, Ponderosa THANKS TO Emily Leap, Kai Eng, Kevin O‘Connor, Una Little, Zinzi Minott

photo © Kerstin Junge