Review: Tanz im August – Dance in Berlin

Summer in Berlin means the chance to see top notch dance.

The festival Tanz im August (Dance in August) is a showcase for established companies and newcomers and for collaborations between international and local artists in all forms of dance.

TOP TIP: It also a great way to dive into Berlin’s culture and event locations which you might not normally see.

This year’s 18 productions were shown in 10 venues.

https://www.tanzimaugust.de/en/

Under the artistic directorship of Ricardo Carmona, and presented by HAU Hebbel am Ufer, Tanz im August can look back to almost three weeks of high accomplishment of 3 world premieres, 10 German premieres, and 7 Berlin and international co-productions with a total of 46 performances.

With ticket sales at 97% and 18.500 visitors, the festival was able to build on the successes of previous years – with much positive resonance from its very wide and diverse audience.

Our intrepid correspondent Sabine ‘Bee’ Koch was lucky enough, to see several productions and these are her personal highlights:

Amala Dianor / DUB

Accompanied live by composer Arwin Leon, choreographer Amala Dianor brings together 11 urban street dancers, who in this piece show their unique dance styles and brilliantly perform together in new and fun group segments. The set design, with its illuminated door and cubic compartments, visualises dance club settings. Special mention to the light design of Nicolas Tallec, that hides and highlights different parts of the stage and with its colour schemes, evokes a stylish club and a fabulous night out – just like this evening at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele.

DUB

Kor’sia / Mont Ventoux

The Madrilanian dance collective Kor’sia is inspired by Francesco Petrarcas text about the ascent of Mount Ventoux and explores mankind and the changes we need to tackle in order to move forward. Nine great dancers search for transformation and developement starting with a feral, almost caveman like scenery and culminating in the refinement of traditional dance movements – trying to make sense of the world and find answers to the challenges we meet. Especially breathtaking is the athletic pas de deux towards the end of the performance. The sheer prowess of those two dancers and their immaculate movements is astounding!

Ballet de l’Opéra de Lyon / Mycelium

My absolute favourite was the this work of Cristos Papadopoulus. From the start when just one dancer glided on stage like a floating plant, to the very end, when 20 dancers melted into one organism – oscillating, swaying, swerving over the stage. It was magnificent. The pounding, rhythmic music of Coti K. and the dark setting contributed to a feeling of a dreamscape or an underwater scenery. I was fortunate to be seated on the first balcony, so I had an overview of the ever changing patterns of the 20 bodies moving mostly in unison. For an hour I was transported to another world. What an awesome experience.