Walashé Kollektiv: Traces – Sophiensæle | Independent Theater in Berlin

Walashé Kollektiv:
Traces

Three performers pose powerfully against a white backdrop. On the left, a person with short hair and many metallic hair clips gazes forward with determination. In the center, a person with long braids looks directly into the camera with a serious expression, extending their hand in a defensive gesture. On the right, a person with a stern expression and a long braided ponytail holds a piece of fabric firmly. All three are entangled in sheer, light fabric that wraps around their bodies.
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Traces evokes encounters, negotiates (social) positions, and renders the invisible visible.

Throughout life, our paths inevitably intersect with those of others, giving rise to subtle yet meaningful interactions. Each meeting leaves imprints – on the individuals involved and within their surroundings. But what kinds of impact do these contacts generate? How do they influence biographies and identities? At times they enrich and strengthen; at others they remain fleeting or leave behind unwanted marks that call to be shed. Regardless of circumstances, emotional state, or awareness, encounters are pivotal in processes of becoming and passing. They shape experiences and contribute to identity in complex, multifaceted ways.

The performers of the Berlin collective Walashé bring Afro-diasporic dance culture to the stage. They combine styles such as Popping, Krump and House while also granting fabrics and sounds a special significance – in the spirit of these cultures. The audience becomes an active part of the performance and helps to shape the space through its participation.

Evening information

Ticket
Ticket
Premiere Ticket

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).

Duration

  • Approximately 60 minutes without intermission

Language

  • Not language-based; one sentence is spoken in English

Lighting

  • The lighting is very dark

Interaction

  • The audience is approached
  • The audience is addressed directly with eye contact at some points

Audience

  • The audience moves freely around the room
  • Chairs with backrests, seat cushions, and beanbags
  • 2 beanbag seats can be booked subject to availability
  • 2 wheelchair spaces can be booked subject to availability

Early boarding

  • Early boarding. is available. A loudspeaker announcement will draw attention to this.

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.

Dance, choreography: Laura Kassé, Lisa Ennaoui, Iman Gele
Kostümdesign: Josiane Mutombo
Sounddesign: Youssef Ennaoui

A production by Walashé Kollektiv in co-production with Sophiensæle. Funded by the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion. Media partners: Missy Magazine, Siegessäule, taz.

Walashé Kollektiv is a feminist dance collective founded in Berlin in 2018 by the dancers Lisa Ennaoui, Laura Kassé, Alda Mondlane and Iman Gele. The name means “sisters” and stands for familial connectedness as well as a cultural-political statement within the male-dominated hip-hop scene. With being part of such projects as Urban Feminism (Tanz im August 2020) and organizing their own festival unfolding forms (2022, 2024), Walashé Kollektiv has created important platforms for urban dancers in the theater. In 2025, the collective is launching a mentoring program and presenting its latest production, Traces, at Sophiensæle.

  • Three performers are enveloped in translucent fabric, their faces and bodies visible only faintly through it. On the left, a person with clips in their hair tilts their head upward. In the center, a person with braids looks intently upward. On the right, a person with a braid gazes calmly forward through the fabric.
    © MayraWallraff
  • Three performers stand close together, wrapped in light fabric strips. On the left, a person with short hair and metallic clips looks upward thoughtfully. In the center, a person with long braids gazes to the side as fabric drapes over their shoulder. On the right, a person with a long braid stares intently into the camera.
    © MayraWallraff
  • Three performers are wrapped in light fabric strips connecting their bodies. On the left, a person with clips in short hair tilts their head downward. In the center, a person with long braids looks forward, fabric draped diagonally across their torso. On the right, a person with a long braid gazes determinedly into the distance, pulling the fabric firmly.
    © MayraWallraff