GYMNASTICS

Photo: Knut Klaßen
by Gintersdorfer/Klaßen
in collaboration with the Ballet of Difference
stream • dance
in several languages
Digital
Duration:
1 h • 40 min
ONLINE WORLD PREMIERE:
27 FEB 2021
In the Weimar Republic, the spectrum of political attitudes was stretched out widely between communism, socialism, monarchism, capitalism, and fascism; the dances, rhythmic education and the so called »körperliche Ertüchtigung« (physical training) that emerged at that time were diverse, too, and were connected in the most varied ways with these social realities of life. It is said that Germany was a dancing nation, as the movements effectively encompass all different social classes and many dances reflected the deformation and damage of the First World War, as well as the resulting proximity to death and the urge to live. The works of the amateurs and professional dancers send strong impulses from the past into a torn present in which social antagonisms manifest themselves and controversial, but hardly stoppable upheavals, announce themselves.
In their first collaboration with the team of Gintersdorfer and Klaßen, the dancers of the Ballet of Difference take up pieces from dance history and find unpredictable connections that lead to their own movement combinations: The use of material, fashion, eroticism, reappraisal of exoticism, beauty, as well as competitive gymnastics versus collective and theme-focused dances, are keywords standing at the beginning of this work. Hans Unstern is building a new harp especially for this project.

On 27 February, GYMNASTICS now celebrates its digital live premiere on www.schauspiel.koeln!
artistic direction: Gintersdorfer/Klaßen
direction: Monika Gintersdorfer
stage design & lighting: Knut Klaßen
costume: Knut Klaßen, Marc Aschenbrenner, Tom Schellmann
music: Hans Unstern
camera: Knut Klaßen, Leon Michel
picture direction: Stefan Korsinsky
rehearsal director: Zuzana Zahradníkova
STAGE DESIGN ASSISTANCE: Jessica Rosa
COSTUME ASSISTANT: Melina Jusczyk
stage management: Charlotte Bischoff
Michael Frank · Knut Klaßen