Leipzig Stadtbad: next in Leipzig Ballet’s Dancing in the City’s Buildings series
With the success of Mario Schröder at the Leipzig Ballet some might be fooled into thinking he is resting on his laurels. This isn’t the case at all. He continues to create new and challenging works. Combining this with his goal to reach the people of Leipzig he has a unique series this season called “Tanz in den Häusern der Stadt” where he is creating site-specific work in private rooms, museums and shops.
It is unusual to dance or view dance in these places. Part of the experience is the context. How do we see dance when it is outside the Oper? Does it make it more personal? Does it make it less artistically valuable? How does it change the dialogue between the choreographer and the viewer? How does it affect our role in the work?
At first thought architecture is static, but when we have a closer look we see it as almost malleable. It is constantly changing: Factors like the people inside or outside and their activities make a big difference as do sound and heat. We also see the building in different ways depending on our relationship to it. What happens in our mind when we touch it? What happens when we take the time to look at the details?
The focus of these pieces is three fold: examining the architecture itself, connecting with the audience and collaborating with people in the community.
This series has already been in Fitness First and Lehman’s book store. This Sat’s experience, entitled Obstacles, will be at the Badehaus Klinikum St. Georg at 8.00. Mario sees the bath house a traditional village, “which offers a place for recreation and meeting with visitors outside the hospital rooms….and it is an area of obstacles for the dancers.” This new way of looking at the familiar coincides with the 800 year anniversary of the hospital and shows there’s life in the old girl yet. The bath house itself was built in 1913 by Otto Wilhelm Scharenberg (1851-1920) who was a master of combining beauty and functionality. For years the building housed the Leipzig Institute of Radiology. In 2005 it was returned to its original use and currently is the home to the Physical Medicine Clinic. The central hall is its showpiece and feels like you are stepping back in time. This is where “Obstacles” will be investigated.
Smiles All Around for the 30th World Dance Day
Leipzig Ballet Meister, Roman Slomski, photo: Maeshelle West-Davies
It was a fun day at Leipzig Oper. Mario Schröder said, “Dance is life.” and you could surely see the life in the eyes of the people there. The day was kicked-off by a welcome from the mayor, and then people from all walks of life took to the stage for a mass choregraphy. Honestly there were so many rooms and stages and areas that there was no way I could watch everything. I had no idea there were so many people participating in so many forms of dance around town.
couple doing the Lindy Hop on Augustus Platz, photo: Maeshelle West-Davies
At one point a guy with a bike powered mobile disco rode up and a group started dancing to music from the 20s to the 50s. It was infectious. I know there are often parties at McCormicks Ballroom. I might just have to go!
couple from City Slickers dance group, photo:Maeshelle West-Davies
One thing I never expected was people who do dance from the old west. They even perform at parties.
couple doing the tango inside Leipzig Oper, photo: Maeshelle West-Davies
If you thought it was steamy outside, you should have been inside. Several couples were tangoing. Talk about a connection. The amount of trust these couples had was intense. Most of the time they danced with their eyes closed.
Leipzig Tanztheater perform Alessio Trevisani's Dance Painting at Borgplatz, photo: Maeshelle West-Davies
Not far away people watched another kind of dance, one without music. Leipzig Tanztheater performed Alessio Trevisani’s Dance Painting. Each dancer began with his own little pile of sand. In order to connect with the others, they had to spread out their sand. The sand was mixed with sienna pigment and sweet paprika. In Italy they use sienna pigment to paint the facades of buildings.
Thank you Leipzig Ballet for hosting such an uplifting event.
Manga Festival 2012!
The Japanese House invites you to its Manga Festival which runs from the 15.03 – 31.03.
The opening will take place on the 15th at 18:30 and the exhibition will then run until the 31.03, with a full programme of other activities such as Manga-workshops and a symposium with Professors from the Japanologie department at the University of Leipzig’s Ostasiatisches Insitut.
Check out the Japanese House’s website for all the details!
Das Japanische Haus e.V.
Delitzscher Str. 3, 04105 Leipzig
japanischeshaus@googlemail.com
Ph: 0152 0590 9735