Production Details / Press Releases
At 18, New Zealand hip-hop dancer Aloalii Tapu participated in Royston Maldoon’s Sacre project and subsequently decides to study dance. Then, he discovers Pina Bausch’s “Café Müller” and focuses his training on contemporary dance. Coming from a Polynesian background, these life choices surprised his friends: “You are dancing like a white guy” they said, when they met again at their favorite hang-out, the Urban Soul Café in Auckland. Meanwhile, Lii has a degree in dance and is traveling down his own artistic path.
The piece therefore begins in Pina Bausch’s “Café Müller” – only to rewrite it into a place, in which the real and the fictive mix and merge: the Urban Soul Café. A stage for the dancer Aloalii Tapu to tell his own coming-of-age story. Where he deals with the work of people, who inspired him – such as Pina Bausch, Yvonne Rainer or Steve Paxton – in order to question them from a non-European, non-white perspective. But also without inhibitions of mixing in his own (pop)cultural influences – Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and not to forget: rugby. For in the end, gazing up at the lofty heights of dance history is much like looking at a menu – the mere variety is confusing enough. But while there is always someone to advise you on what to order at the café – “ask staff for more variety” – a young dancer must learn to make his own choices.
Cast & Credits
Concept: Christoph Winkler
By and with: Aloalii Tapu
Tech: Florian Guist
Scenography: Valentina Primavera & Lena Mody
Production: ehrliche arbeit – freies Kulturbüro
Pina Bausch Portrait © Gerhard Ludwig
In the video: Leti Fetakaiga (Beanz), Moli Tapu (Mum)
A production by Christoph Winkler and ehrliche arbeit – freies Kulturbüro in cooperation with Ballhaus Ost. Funded by the Governing Mayor of Berlin – Senatskanzlei – Cultural Affairs.
Ballhaus Ost
Video Documentation
The video documentation is produced on behalf of the Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion. The purpose of this contract is to document productions in the field of contemporary dance in Berlin. The master recordings are archived by the University Library of the Berlin University of Arts. Copies of the recordings on DVD are available for viewing exclusively in the reference collections of the following archives (at media desks in these institutions):
University Library of the Berlin University of Arts
Mediathek für Tanz und Theater des Internationalen Theaterinstituts / Mime Centrum Berlin
Inter-University Centre for Dance Berlin (HZT)
Christoph Winkler / Trailers and Video Documentations
- Christoph Winkler: Interview / Portrait Christoph Winkler (2017)
- Christoph Winkler: Four Non Blondes (Onlinefilm) (2024)
- Christoph Winkler: Four Non Blondes (2024)
- Christoph Winkler: Songs & Dances about the Weather (2023)
- Christoph Winkler: Stay on it (Onlinefilm) (2022)
- Christoph Winkler: Radical Minimal – Coming Together (2022)
- Christoph Winkler: Radical Minimal – Come out (2022)
- Christoph Winkler: Radical Minimal – Stay on it (2022)
- Christoph Winkler: A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO WORLDBUILDING (2022)
- Christoph Winkler: We are going to Mars (2022)
- Christoph Winkler: Senedon (2020)
- Christoph Winkler: Balafon Phase (2020)
- Christoph Winkler: It’s all forgotten now – A performative Mixtape for Mark Fisher (2020)
- Christoph Winkler: It’s all forgotten now – A performative Mixtape for Mark Fisher (Onlinefilm) (2020)
- Christoph Winkler: On HeLa – The Color of Cells (2019)
- Christoph Winkler: Speak Boldly – The Julius Eastman Dance Project (2018)
- Christoph Winkler: SHUT UP AND DANCE (2018)
- Christoph Winkler: Die Bretter, die die Welt bedeuten (2018)
- Christoph Winkler: Ernest Berk – The Complete Expressionist (2018)
- Christoph Winkler: Sheroes (2017)
- Christoph Winkler: Black Cyborg or If I Had a Heart for Whom Would it Beat (2017)
- Christoph Winkler: Crossing Half of China to Sleep With You (2017)
- Christoph Winkler: Five Studies on Post-Colonialism – Study 5: The Lion and The Dragon (2016)
- Christoph Winkler: Five Studies on Post-Colonialism – Study 4: Dancing Like a White Guy (2016)
- Christoph Winkler: Five Studies on Post-Colonialism – Study 3: Persisches Haar (2016)
- Christoph Winkler: Five Studies on Post-Colonialism – Study 2: Seeing Alvin Ailey (2016)
- Christoph Winkler: Five Studies on Post-Colonialism – Study 1: Can Asians Dance? (2016)
- Christoph Winkler: GOLDEN STARS ON BLUE (2015)
- Christoph Winkler: La Fille – Portrait eines Kindes (2015)
- Christoph Winkler: Hauptrolle (2014)
- Christoph Winkler: Abendliche Tänze – Ein TANZFONDS ERBE Projekt (2014)
- Christoph Winkler: Das Wahre Gesicht – Dance Is Not Enough (2013)
- Christoph Winkler: RechtsRadikal (2013)
- Christoph Winkler: Dance! Copy! Right? (2012)
- Christoph Winkler: Maldoror – Amped (Böse Körper – Teil 3) (2011)
- Christoph Winkler: Baader – Choreografie einer Radikalisierung (2011)
- Christoph Winkler: Böse Körper (2011)
- Christoph Winkler: Taking Steps (2010)
- Christoph Winkler: A Taste of Ra (2009)
- Christoph Winkler: Biopics / Introducing Travis & Dennis (2009)
- Christoph Winkler: Saal A (2009)