Editorial January–March 2025
Dear audience, dear artists,
In this programme, spanning January to March 2025, the Tanzquartier and our outstanding artists address the subject of collectivity in times when right-wing extremist presence, dangerous nationalism and reactionary worldviews appear to be gaining ground. Nuanced issues concerning community(s), society and a sense of belonging resonate in many projects over the next few months.
The third edition of the Winter School theory festival, with which we welcome the new year, focuses on practices of the diaspora, under the title Don’t trace no lines. In March, the workshops and discussions of What now? look for strategies to establish a cultural landscape based on solidarity and to fight common struggles.
Among other things, the performance programme addresses the shift to the right among workers; challenges the performance of masculinity – including specifically in queer communities; upsets nationalist narratives; scrutinises family histories and biographies for inspiration to envision new spaces of potential instead of backward-looking stories; tries to grasp the emotional experience of finitude; and insists on finding some degree of humour even in horror.
With pieces by crip choreography luminary Michael Turinsky, shooting stars Magdalena Forster and Luca Bonamore, Ian Kaler, Samuel Feldhandler and Ulduz Ahmadzadeh, premieres by local artists abound in the coming months.
And a number of guests add an international flair: Tabori prize winner Joana Tischkau presents a new stage work co-produced by Tanzquartier – her first to be shown in Vienna. We look forward to the world premiere of the new group piece by choreographer Alex Baczyński-Jenkins and a collaboration of the great Meg Stuart with Dance On Ensemble. And Annina Machaz works with formerly homeless people as part of our audiencing programme.
Last but not least, we warmly welcome Ingeborg Meier Andersen, Carolina Cappelli, Snorre Elvin, Francesca Ferrari and dengling (鄧玲) levine to Tanzquartier! The new participants of PARASOL – a dance group of Tanzquartier Wien, are developing a piece under the direction of Alex Franz Zehetbauer. And we invite you to an evening with VALIE EXPORT as well as to experimental sound and performance practices in another edition of LO AND BEHOLD.
With this in mind: Let’s get together – we look forward to seeing you!
Bettina Kogler, Artistic director and Programme
Carolina Nöbauer, Programme