Dance as a reflection of the times

The Winterthur Dance Festival provides a platform for emerging artists in particular. As part of the ‘Intro’ programme, up-and-coming dancers and choreographers open each evening of the festival. My two recommendations:

What must women bear? Linda Heller of the Merge Dance Collective explores this question in her solo piece The Weight of Balloons. How much is placed upon women in a patriarchal system, and how much do they burden themselves with? In dialogue with artificial intelligence, Linda Heller explores the tension between strength and exhaustion, managing to adopt both a critical and a humorous perspective.

Fri, 28 Nov 19:30

Fazil On Yu, a dancer, performer and activist with roots in Uganda, aims through his performances to encourage his audience to reflect and thereby bring about positive social change. In his solo piece Black Skinned, White Masked, he explores the experiences of Black people in a white-dominated world. ​​​​

Sat, 22 Nov 19:30

For those who prefer to focus on the main productions, I would highly recommend the following plays:

How can we connect with one another? Whether physically through physical contact, on an emotional and intellectual level, or within a society? In this piece by Mexican choreographer Ixchel Mendoza Hernandez, three performers of different backgrounds and gender identities explore various forms of touch in order to connect with one another and facilitate transformation.

Fri, 21 Nov 19:30

Between dance and theatre: two bodies moving together and against one another. Puppet-like and mechanical, raw and without music. The piece *MEGASTRUCTURE* is one of the first works by the up-and-coming choreographer Sarah Baltzinger from Luxembourg.

Sat, 22 Nov 19:30

Everyone deals with grief differently, yet it is rarely discussed. In Le repos, the young choreographer and dancer Clara Delorme from Lausanne explores the idea of shared grief. How does the process change when it is shared? What happens when, instead of suppressing grief, we try to accept it and process it through sharing? This piece, featuring four dancers, invites us to explore grief together.

Fri, 28 Nov 19:30

The Winterthur Dance Festival is taking place for the 33rd time this year and provides a stage for contemporary dance, featuring choreographers and dancers ranging from local to international, and from up-and-coming to established artists. The entire programme takes place at the Theater am Gleis in Winterthur, and all performances will also be streamed live. In addition to the dance performances, there will be talks and workshops, as well as a dance-filled interactive experience for children.