Three nights at HAU1
On 27, 28 and 29 August, Masterwork for Six Dancers filled HAU1 for three performances.
Created by renowned Hungarian choreographers Emese Cuhorka and Csaba Molnár in collaboration with En–Knap Group, Masterwork for Six Dancers explores the relationship between body, object and space. Inspired by Bauhaus aesthetics and Oskar Schlemmer’s Triadic Ballet, the work frees the body from established meanings and social projections, placing it in unexpected, playful and often humorous situations.
“It’s about the body, the way it can deal with objects, the way it can transform itself into an object. It’s really fun. The quality of Emese and Csaba is to be able to create an extremely playful piece.” — Mattia Cason, En–Knap Group artistic director
“Freedom and a lot of humour in it”
In a conversation about the performance, Tanz im August Artistic Director Ricardo Carmona highlighted its transnational character, freedom and humour:
“The notion of transnationality and going beyond borders was very important for me and the festival. Amazing company, amazing dancers, freedom and a lot of humour in it.”
For En–Knap, the guest performance was significant because of its long history of connections with the Berlin dance scene. As En–Knap Artistic Director Iztok Kovač recalled, the company first performed in Berlin in the mid-1990s and has returned to the festival regularly over the years.
“For the first time, we performed in this theatre, as it is now called, in the mid-90s, and we have made continuous appearances at the festival throughout the years. This means that Slovenian contemporary dance is reaching the biggest festivals and prestigious stages — which means trust, and that we are doing well.”
The return to Tanz im August thus connected almost three decades of Slovenian contemporary dance in Berlin with En–Knap Group’s current international activities.
Meeting HALLE Tanzbühne Berlin
Part of the Berlin visit was dedicated to getting to know other venues and approaches to contemporary dance production. En–Knap met with Toula Limnaios and Ralf R. Ollertz, artistic directors of HALLE Tanzbühne Berlin, and producer Marie Schmieder.
HALLE is an independent 140-seat theatre, an internationally recognised venue for contemporary dance and the home of cie. toula limnaios. The more-than-century-old, finely detailed brick building of a former police station is located in the picturesque Kastanienhof courtyard in Prenzlauer Berg.
Of particular interest was the way HALLE has transformed and preserved the historic site, gradually developing it into a venue with spaces for performances, rehearsals and residencies. The visit offered valuable inspiration for the development of Dance Quartier Moste, currently being developed by En–Knap in Ljubljana as an interconnected system of performance venues, studios, residencies and other spaces for artistic creation.
New connections
During the visit, En–Knap Group also held an audition in the HAU1 rehearsal studios, bringing the ensemble together with a group of dancers from the international contemporary dance scene.
The audition provided an opportunity to meet new artistic profiles and establish connections that may develop into future collaborations. The Berlin visit therefore extended beyond the three performances, opening up new encounters, connections and possibilities for further work.
