Dancing with
Dance like nobody’s watching! Quite a paradox for someone standing on stage with 100 expectant eyes on them. But ballroom dancing is all about the enjoyment of the two people dancing, and Krõõt Juurak has made one of these the subject of their new piece. Somewhere between hobby, self-discovery trip, artistic research and all-consuming obsession, Juurak has been pursuing Tango Argentino for two years now. Explaining, let alone mastering the sequence of steps, would be too complicated, but perhaps dancing the tango can be understood as a kind of micro-choreography of the emotions that the dance partners perform for each other. Inspired by a successful TV format, Juurak asks stars of the Viennese scene to dance for Dancing with. In a duet with colleagues Veza Fernández, Lau Lukkarila, Barbara Kraus and Vera Rosner, they raise the question of what contemporary dance can learn from the most intimate of all ballroom dances. And who leads, who follows? Let’s dance!
born in 1981 in Tallinn, Estonia, is a choreographer, artist, stand-up comedian, and dancer based in Vienna. They studied choreography at ArteZ and fine arts at the Sandberg Institute, Amsterdam. Juurak has a penchant for self-sabotage, for getting caught up in the awkwardness of the moment, trusting far more to the dramaturgy of the endeavour than to its actual success. Together with Alex Bailey, they have put workplace conflicts on the stage, performed for pets, and even assigned the director role to their two-year-old child. Krõõt Juurak regularly presents their pieces at Tanzquartier Wien, including most recently, Lesson (2023), SCHOOL (2023, with PARASOL) and CODOMESTICATION (2019, with Alex Bailey). Krõõt Juurak also tours with PCCC* – The Politically Correct Comedy Club.
Credits
Concept, choreography, performance Krõõt Juurak Performance, choreography Veza Fernández, Barbara Kraus, Lau Lukkarila, Vera Rosner Moderator, assistant Luca Büchler Light design Leo Kuraite – A coproduction by Krõõt Juurak and Tanzquartier Wien. Supported by the Municipal Department of Cultural Affairs, Vienna. With special thanks to Leonie Jensen, Emese, Christoph Lanner, Paulina Cebula, Helga M. Treichl, and Silvia Miano.