BAKAUV
The Bahkauv is a mythical monster said to reside in Aachen. According to legend, the creature often lurks near the many thermal springs found under the city. The Bahkauv is associated with harassing drunk men, ambushing intoxicated men at night and latching onto their shoulders, forcing them to carry it around before attacking them.
This piece is based on the Bakauv foklore and was created for the prestigious Schrittmacher festival in Aachen, specifically for pre-professional dancers aged 16--26. Music by Rutger Müller.
WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING
Trailer of WNOIW. Performed live on Octbober 13, 14 and 16, 2022 at the former Felina-Areal warehouse and offices. Generously funded by Joint Adventures / NPN Stepping Out.
DUFTnachRosen
This is the first iteration of WNOIW, before it was recreated/re-formated in another space. The film contains 6 minutes of excerpts from the larger work.
The full length project premiered on June 19, 2022 as a live immersive theater experience at the Altes Güteramt Atelierhaus in Mannheim. It has been generously funded by the Neustart Kultur GLV, Stadt Mannheim and LBBW.
HER LOVELINESS, ALWAYS SUBMERGED
LIVE FILM SCREENING: November 1 & 2, 2021 at Disco_Zwei | 8pm
This project was generously supported by Landesverband Freie Tanz- und Theaterschaffende, and Stadt Mannheim
The essence of this conceptual dance-theater film is based upon the play “The Divine Narcissus” by historical figure Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz. Her work is relevant just as much today as it was in the 17th century. Sor Juana integrated indigenous Mexican culture and belief into her philosophical, sacred and secular works and plays, thereby transcending socio-cultural boundaries of the time and exposing the exploitation of both women and land. For example, in “The Divine Narcissus”, she transforms Ovid's famous Metamorphoses into a love story between God and humanity. In contrast to Ovid's text, Sor Juana gives Narcissus the form of a god-like figure gazing into a fountain, falling in love with the beauty of humanity and all creation. The content of this drama - and Sor Juana’s interpretation - proposes an eco-feminist anthropology, and an alternative religious anthropology which worships and reveres all living beings including human and non-human nature.
CHOREOGRAPHY REEL
OF THE DUST
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CARTA ATENAGÓRICA
"Carta Atenagórica" illustrates the story and feeling behind the famous letter of Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, a Hieronymite nun of the seventeenth century. Sor Juana was a visionary writer and her feminist, ecofeminist, and philosophical principles are as potent today as they were when she was alive. Carta Atenagórica was a tactful criticism of a Jesuit priest's sermon on God's punishment and love. It was read and responded to without her consent by the religious authorities who took issue with a woman's published work. Later on she was forced to hand over hundreds of her writings which included sonnets, plays, love poems, and her religious / philosophical manuscripts, as well as her enormous library of books to the Church. She was also forbidden from seeing her one true confidant, the Vicereine of Mexico (New Spain at the time) after "Carta Atenagórica" and "La Repuesta" were publicized. Following these events she was forced to completely give up writing and studying anything other than the Bible, and dedicate herself only to charitable acts.
Music titles:
“Olga” by Thomas Brinkmann
“Minimal” by Scanner (Robin Rimbaud)
“Vox Populi” by Stephane Wrembel
“Kuiper” by Floating Points
Performed at Theater Felina Areal, Mannheim, 2019
Performers: Amelia Eisen, Rebecca Häusler, Lisa Kaiser, Miriam Markle, Jillian Rose
NEVER WAS THERE A TIME (EXCERPTS)
Never Was There a Time performed at The Green Building in Brooklyn NY, 2013
performed by Betheny Merola and Delphina Parenti