James Batchelor and Collaborators: Notes of Self – Sophiensæle | Independent Theater in Berlin
Program
James Batchelor and Collaborators:
Notes of Self
Notes of Self
No language
10€/15€/20€/25€
Premiere
Relaxed Performance
With German audio description
A solo in many voices: Notes of Self is an intimate blend of intellect and emotion that opens new pathways to dance for children and adults alike. Playful, surprising, and full of movement, the choreography welcomes young audiences, including those who may never have been to the theater before, while inviting adults into a fresh dialogue with the radical spirit of Ausdruckstanz.
The work is inspired by Batchelor’s research into the diasporic history of Ausdruckstanz in Australia and his current engagement with children through the LUNA PARK initiative in Berlin. Century-old avant-garde tradition meets the spontaneous movements of children and creates a performance that is both historically aware and radically present.
Children’s perspectives influence not only the movement but also the dramaturgy — what they notice, what draws them in, what they remember. The result is a solo that becomes a conversation across generations, bodies, and ways of seeing.
The premiere Notes of Self continues James Batchelor and Collaborators’ collaboration with Sophiensæle and will be the third production here, following acclaimed presentations of Shortcuts to Familiar Places and An Evening-length Performance (Tanz im August). Designed for audiences of all ages, it is a performance that welcomes both seasoned dance enthusiasts and curious first-timers, including children, who are invited to see themselves reflected in its energy and imagination.
The information on accessibility is still in progress and will be updated as soon as possible. If any questions remain unanswered until then, please feel free to contact the communication department at barrierefreiheit@sophiensaele.com or 030 27 89 00 35. Please note that details may change by the day of the event. Therefore, if you find out after you have purchased your ticket that the performance is no longer accessible to you, you can contact us for a ticket return at ticketing@sophiensaele.com or 030 27 89 00 45 until 5 business days after the event (Monday through Friday between 10am and 6pm).
Early boarding
If, for artistic reasons, the door to the auditorium does not open until very shortly before the performance begins, there is the option of early boarding.
Tickets
- Reservations can be made via the ticket telephone at 030 283 52 66, Monday to Friday from 4pm-6pm
- Via the online ticket shop
- At the box office
You can also find more information about accessibility at the house here.
Lead artist, choreographer, performer: James Batchelor
Dramaturgy: Bek Berger
Composition: Morgan Hickinbotham
A production by James Batchelor and Collaborators in co-production with Sophiensæle. Funded by the Fonds Darstellende Künste with resources from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media. Co-produced by the Initiative LUNA PARK e.V. as part of the program LUNAPARK.Residency Fellowships, curated by the artistic director of the initiative, Kosmas Kosmopoulos. Additionally funded by the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion. Media partners: Missy Magazine, Siegessäule, taz.
James Batchelor and Collaborators are a creative team lead by choreographer James Batchelor working between Australia and Europe. Previous productions including Shortcuts to Familiar Places, Deepspace and Hyperspace have performed extensively in contexts such as Tanz im August (Berlin), Impulstanz (Vienna) and Centre Pompidou (Paris).
James Batchelor is a choreographer from Ngunnawal Country (Canberra) whose practice spans choreography, research, and teaching. His work investigates the body as a tool for inquiry – mapping, sensing, and measuring space through choreographic form. Grounded in repetition, spatial elasticity, and rhythmic subtlety, his performances create immersive, contemplative environments that invite audiences into expanded experiences of time and perception.
-
© Morgan Hickinbotham -
© Morgan Hickinbotham