GREGORY MACOMA & HELGE LETONJA / STEPTEXT DANCE PROJECT (DE/ZA)

It all starts with music. Serge Weber composes a piece that is interpreted in different ways by two dance ensemble – one in Germany, the other in South Africa. An artist from Johannesburg does the choreography for the ensemble in Bremen – and vice versa. Then they develop into an exchange on the theme of Out of Joint: How do the respective societies deal with the theme of losing control? How can the uncertainty in politically turbulent times be found in one’s own body? How do shifts, revolts, attributions manifest themselves? The joints are grinding, but the dancers resist – with force.

Gregory Maqoma has been directing the Vuyani Dance Theatre in Johannesburg since 2003. His language, which evolved from urban, pan-African and contemporary styles, recently convinced the audience with his duet blind during Africtions – a festival initiated by steptext dance project that was founded by Helge Letonja in 1996 and was awarded the Bremer Diversity Prize 2016 for its transcultural work.

Choreography: Helge Letonja & Gregory Maqoma

Dance: Kossi Sebastien Aholou-Wokawui, Thulisile Binda, Steven Chauke, Oh Chang Ik, Mariko Koh, Phumlani Mndebele

Composition: Serge Weber

Dramaturgy: Anke Euler

Production: steptext dance project & Vuyani Dance Theatre

Co-production: Bremer Shakespeare Company

Supported by the Senator für Kultur Bremen and the NATIONALE PERFORMANCE NETZ (NPN) Koproduktionsförderung Tanz with funding by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media based on a resolution of the German Bundestag.

Supported by the Waldemar-Koch Stiftung Bremen.

STEPTEXT.DE

VUYANI.CO.ZA

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