A body that is outwardly still and inwardly vibrating – what processes does the energy undergo before it breaks through? How does it change when the body matures?

In his new production „MELLOWING“ Greek choreographer Christos Papadopoulos embarks on his inaugural collaboration with the dancers of the Dance On Ensemble. Incorporating their knowledge and experience into the creation, together they explore moments of perception and intensities of the moment that create a lively restlessness, a permanent vibration in which the spectator is inevitably involved.

Christos Papadopoulos’ works are fed by an intensely observant approach to movement and often unfold a lively and meditative power. His attention is focused on the minimal shifts of perception, the perpetual, often unnoticed and yet powerful movements that are ever-present in nature, in everyday life, within physical phenomena and political contexts. His debut “Elvedon” (2016) was inspired by Virginia Woolf’s novel “The Waves” and captures the continuous undulation of the sea. This was followed by “Opus” and his third choreography “ION”, an artistic exploration of the phenomenon of ionization and its underlying forces of attraction and repulsion. In his latest work, “Larsen C”, he turns his attention to the micro-phenomena of movement, this time inspired by the popularised iceberg of the same name, which lost a large part of its surface in 2017.

The Dance On Ensemble is a Berlin-based company for professional dancers over 40 who look back on a long dance biography. In collaboration with internationally renowned choreographers and directors, including Rabih Mroué, Deborah Hay, William Forsythe and Jan Martens, the Dance On Ensemble develops a repertoire of groundbreaking and exciting contemporary dance works with the goal of creating an ambitious repertoire for dancers 40+ and sustainably developing their professional careers.

Drawing on its rich experiential knowledge, the ensemble also brings to the stage radical works in modern dance history by iconic choreographers such as Merce Cunningham, Martha Graham and Lucinda Childs and invites contemporary artists such as Tim Etchells, Mathilde Monnier, and Ginevra Panzetti / Enrico Ticconi to create congenial “responses” (“Replies”) in their own artistic voices.

The Dance On Ensemble was founded in 2015 by the Berlin-based cultural non-profit organization Bureau Ritter as part of the Dance On initiative, which recognizes the artistic excellence of dancers aged 40+. Through the Dance On Participation programme, it actively invites older people to explore and participate in dance processes. The Dance On Ensemble is at the heart of the large-scale European cooperation project Dance On, Pass on, Dream On, which generates strong international partnerships and is dedicated to preserving the intangible cultural heritage of dance.
dance-on.net

Christos Papadopoulos studied dance and choreography at SNDO (School for New Dance Development) in Amsterdam and political science at Panteion University in Athens. He is a graduate of the Drama School of the National Theater of Greece. His previous choreographies ELVEDON (2015), OPUS (2016), ION (2018) and LARSEN C (2021) are critically acclaimed and have been presented at numerous international festivals. They are often described as minimalist and precise and are fed by an intensely observant approach to movement, which unfolds a lively and meditative power.

Ty Boomershine has been engaged in various companies, including Lucinda Childs Dance Company, Emio Greco | PC, Merce Cunningham Repertory Ensemble, and has appeared in various works by individual choreographers – such as Yvonne Rainer, Dan Wagoner, Gus Solomons Jr, Ton Simons and Giulia Mureddu. He has danced in Robert Wilson’s opera “Einstein on the Beach” and presented his own choreography at Movement Research and Danspace Project in New York, as well as at OT301 and Holland Festival in Amsterdam. Since 2019 he is Artistic Director of the Dance On Ensemble.

[Source: play bill / dance-on.net]

TFB Nr. 1729