Try-out 2025

This cycle’s starting point of the research and work was art as a process and a motor for change: How can art contribute to a systemic and societal change? How political are our bodies and what new ways of integrating movement exits in the mediation between artists and their young audiences?

The work culminated in three different tryouts at Tanzhaus Düsseldorf during the Westwind Festival:

A movement piece using foldable mattresses that experimented with bodies moving mattresses, hiding behind them, and gradually revealing themselves. The bodies and mattresses eventually morphed into shapes resembling animals, first transforming into animal-like figures and then crawling creatures. The performance was accompanied by live drumming and singing.

A light performance which started in in complete darkness, illuminated only by small light sources highlighting different body parts. The piece experimented with reflections and shadows on a white backdrop, and gradually moved towards participation with the audience, inviting audience members on stage to experiment with light play.

A peformative, durational installation, into which the audience got led by a mystical, animal-like creature with horns. The installation included a sound landscape composed of texts in several languages (Finnish, German, and English), small performative elements, and short edited videos displayed on three different screens or formats. A longer text exploring the question: How can our bodies be part of Utopia? was also distributed to the audience in written form, and smaller excerpts were available in a bowl placed on the floor.

Concept and Realisation: Lena Funke, Lydia Gebker, Siiri Haatainen, Glean Hawkins, Matilda Heyer, Bhavdeep Kumar, Ruby Leuze, Tana Onochie, Lola Pllana, Rebecca Portuné, Karoliina Pyöriä, Juliaana Räsänen, Vilma Ilmatar Sippola, Oumou Sow, Eva Theologou, Angelika Titz, Caterina Vögel, Ida Vu, Sarah Zurl, Violetta Zwick

Coaching: Micaela Kühn, Azlea Wriessnig, Tanja Turpeinen