Impulse Theater Festival

Cologne, Düsseldorf, Mülheim an der Ruhr

4-14 June 2020

TANZ


The grace and harmony of romantic ballet come up against crude jokes featuring artificial intestines, motor bikes and butcher’s hooks. In her critically acclaimed “masterpiece”, a lavish work that defies all taboos, Florentina Holzinger criticises and revels in the brutal treatment of the female body.

Schauspiel Köln, Depot 2
Language: English
Suitable for ages 18 and above

© Eva Würdinger
© Eva Würdinger
© Nada Žgank
© Eva Würdinger

TANZ is framed by a ballet class led by Beatrice Cordua, who was the first ballerina to dance ‘The Rite of Spring’ naked in 1972. In her soft but unrelenting voice she guides her students through a strict training in “action ballet”: “sylphic studies”. In a series of collective rituals they learn how to control their bodies and minds and to assume supernatural powers: ranging from mentalists’ tricks to flying. Bodies float through the air, seemingly weightless, hanging from their hair or butcher’s hooks.

And a great deal of blood flows. In the third part of her trilogy about spectacular bodies and how they are disciplined, Florentina Holzinger directs brutal parodies of scenes made up of ballet, slapstick shows and horror movies. Not for the faint hearted. But what is being shocked and disgusted compared with the pain of an entire life as a ballerina?

Credits

Concept, Performance, Choreography: Florentina Holzinger
Performance by and with: Renée Copraij, Trixie Cordua, Evelyn Frantti, Lucifire, Annina Machaz, Maria Netti Nüganen, Suzn Payson, Laura Stokes, Veronica Thompson, Lydia Darling
Video Design, Live camera: Josefin Arnell
Sound Design, Live sound: Stefan Schneider
Lighting Design, Technical Direction: Anne Meeussen
Stage Design: Nikola Knezevic
Assistant Stage Design: Camilla Smolders
Dramaturgy: Renée Copraij, Sara Ostertag
Outside Eye: Michele Rizzo, Fernando Belfiore
Theory, Research: Anna Leon
Coaching: Btissame Amadour, Ghani Minne, Dave Tusk
Music Coach: Almut Lustig
Stunt Support: Haeger Stunt & Wireworks
Stunt Instructors: Stunt Cloud GmbH (Leo Plank, Phong Giang, Sandra Barger)
Management: Something Great & DANSCO
Distribution: Something Great
Production: Spirit
Executive Production: Laura Andreß
Financial Administration: Julia Haas/SMART
Contact for touring enquiries: Katharina Wallisch, katharina[a]somethinggreat.de

Production

Co-produced by Tanzquartier Wien, Spring Festival, Productiehuis Theater Rotterdam, Künstlerhaus Mousonturm, Arsenic, Münchner Kammerspiele, Take Me Somewhere Festival, deSingel, Beursschouwburg, Sophiensæle, Frascati Productions, Asphalt Festival, Theater im Pumpenhaus. Supported by O Espaço do Tempo, Fondation LUMA, De Châtel Award

Thanks to CAMPO Gent, ImPulsTanz, Eva Beresin, Stefanie Leitner, Tanz-Archiv MUK Wien, Stimuleringsfonds Creative Industries.

Funded by Kulturabteilung der Stadt Wien, Bundeskanzleramt für Kunst und Kultur (BKA), Performing Arts Fund NL, Norma Fonds NL.

Further performances can be seen at the Asphalt Festival in Düsseldorf.

Biography

Florentina Holzinger is regarded as one of the most provocative new choreographers in Europe. In her works she investigates different ways of representing the feminine and the potential of female physicality. Here she deliberately plays on shifting boundaries between high culture and entertainment, pop and trash. Several collaborations with Vincent Riebeek from 2011 onwards were followed by the solo ‘Recovery’, and ‘Apollon’. In 2012 Florentina Holzinger was awarded the Prix Jardin d’Europe at ImPulsTanz for her solo ‘Silk’. She is currently Artist in Residence at ICK in Amsterdam. From 2021/22 she will work at the Volksbühne in Berlin under its new Artistic Director René Pollesch and elsewhere.