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The End Is Not An Option (2021)
A nomadic performance
What happens to artistic practice when its premise is to be informed by complete openness to the outside, interrupted by encounters with new people and places, by misunderstandings, by porosity? The End Is Not An Option is a nomadic process questioning endings and continuations. As collectors or as a wandering circus do, B A G, a group of six dancers, has been traveling through four locations, spending two weeks in each “station”.
Project: The End Is Not An Option (2021): Bio
Station #1: Stadtwerk mrzn, Berlin Marzahn
End of July 2021 in Marzahn (Station #1) B A G was hosted by the outdoors community center Stadtwerk mrzn. We started each day with a voice and movement class open to anyone in the neighbourhood willing to join - we hosted children, women and people working for the organisation.
When no one came we practiced by ourselves.
As our residency unfolded, we exchanged stories about doctor’s appointments, bureaucracy, art and memories from back home. We cooked for each other and for many more, we spoke many different languages and communicated mostly through eyes and smiles.
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Station #2: Elbehof in Wahrenberg, Sachsen-Anhalt
In August 2021 B A G relocated its research to Wahrenberg (Station #2), a small village in the German countryside, just past the Elbe river.
We asked ourselves how to continue. How to open again.
At the end of the first week we performed our dance for the people who came to celebrate 25 years of Elbehof in Wahrenberg being an alternative community.
We danced with filters over our eyes. Our score was to be with ourselves and with the others, to be inside and outside at the same time.
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Station #3: FELD Theater für Junges Publikum, Berlin Schöneberg
In October 2021 B A G has arrived at FELD, (Station #3) in Berlin Schöneberg.
We received two visits by a group of teenagers. Quite soon we realised that, even when we all tried to speak German, we just did not understand each other so we developed systems for translation. Together we imagined future homes, melted very slowly all the way to the floor and sang songs about what there will be in the future (no money, unicorns, clean water and a phone with which you can call the past and the future!).
At the same time B A G worked on a stage piece for young audience, another event in this chain of encounters.
28.10. + 29.10.2021
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Station #4: Vierte Welt, Berlin Kreuzberg
In November 2021 B A G has spent 2 more weeks at Vierte Welt, (Station #4) in Kottbusser Tor. We took 3 days to reflect and recalibrate how we work together and in the rest of the time we worked on a performance through which we shared our performance further.
20.11. + 21.11.2021
Project: The End Is Not An Option (2021): Text
Project: The End Is Not An Option (2021): Video
Credits
By and with B A G:
Maya Weinberg, Manon Parent, Lisa Densem, Annegret Schalke, Roni Katz, Xenia Taniko
Production: Patricia Oldenhave, Annett Hardegen
Trailer: Dalia Castel
Interview: Beatrix Joyce
Image: Gretchen Blegen
Project: The End Is Not An Option (2021): Text
Project: The End Is Not An Option (2021): Text
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