Artistic research
It is a research about the connections between the forms of expression and communication and their contents. By form I mean languages, gestures and body positions as well as social and scenic dances. By content I mean the lived experiences of the people who express themselves, ie their ideas, their emotions and their intentions through these expressions and the interindividual networks that create those forms.
This research is conducted with dancers with different mother tongues.
Corporeality of speech
Hearing a language that is not understood; speaking in an imaginary language; learning to pronounce words of a language that is not understood ; communicating with someone whose language is not understood; exploring the organic connections between the voice, the rest of the body, and the space… All these situations allow us access to an intrinsic expressiveness of language that is independent of the meaning of the words. The implementation of these situations opens up the possibility of developing movement and vocal composition in this primary level of language expression.
Intertwining movements and significations
Moving and simultaneously describing one’s own movement or intention to another stimulates the dancer’s body awareness as well as his awareness of the other’s presence. This is an original situation in which he exposes himself bodily, and simultaneously lets his thoughts and feelings regarding this exposure being seen. Through solo and group improvisations, the dancers train to experience these two relations at the same time.
Relation to texts
In this research, the dancers approach the texts of theatrical and literary works as partners. The goal is then not to embody a character or a speech, but to welcome the text as the voice and presence of a person as part of the improvisation. The diction of the text by the dancer is thus determined by his feelings towards it.
Intercorporeal languages
Social dances determine emotional states and relations between individuals.
These dances thus determine an intercorporeal “communication” between the dancers, and create interindividual physical networks. Similarly, among animals, we observe the existence of a corporeal level of communication that determines relations and exchanges. Being aware of the power of the body in establishing communications enables the dancers to perform improvisations in which they approach the movement not as a mere expression of their personality, but as it determines and transforms the relations between individuals, and as it is determined by them.
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First research time: 02 – 18 January 2019, Residenz, Schauspiel Leipzig
With: Nacha Bascourleguy, German Farias, Katharina Hänßler, Maryna Ianina, Greta Ksivickaite, Clara Sjölin, Nils Ulber
Second research time: from March 25th to April 7th, 2019. Leipzig, Berlin.
With: German Farias, Nils Ulber
Public Presentation: 7th of April 2019, Flutgraben Performances, Berlin
Fourth research time : from the 7th until the 13th of February 2020, Flutgraben Performances, Berlin. With : Moritz Majce and Mia Stark.
Videos :
Interview of the participants:
German Farias, January 2019, Leipzig (subtitles available):
Nils Ulber, April 2019, Flutgraben Performances, Berlin :
Charlie Fouchier 