MAISON OUVERTE (Open House) :
The Poor But Sexy Edition
We invite you to a 7-hour programme of dance performances, dance practice and conversation ! Come for the whole day or make your own programme : come and go as you wish all day.
Using the famous quote “poor but sexy”, coined by Berlin’s former mayor Wowereit for defining the city at the beginning of the noughties is our humorous way to combat economic hardship. But not only.
Last fall, when we were temporarily “rich”, we treated you with our first edition of the format Maison Ouverte. We managed to present a generous programme involving 5 artists (4 dancers and choreographers and 1 DJ), which consisted of two full days of performances, experiments and artist talks by Dance is ancient and guests, as well as a Technosomatics session and dance classes. We don’t have the means to achieve that much this spring, but we decided to transform that constraint into a leverage for concocting an exciting programme at minimum costs, in which even brains can become the sexiest organs.
This spring, Maison Ouverte takes place over one day only, but what a day ! It will take place on two floors of the Ungdomens Hus, as we will start in Teater Barbro on the first floor and then move to our beloved Festsalen on the second floor. Check the detailed programme below. Soft drinks, nutritious and tasty snacks will be served.
Date & Time : Saturday, 20 April 2024 from 15.00 to 21.30
Place : Teater Barbro & Festsalen at Ungdomens Hus. Access : entrance via Norra Skolgatan 10B. Teater Barbro is on the ground floor, as soon as you get in the building. Festsalen is on the first floor. Follow the yellow arrows.
Language performances : none
Language workshops & discussion : English.
Age restriction : for all. Children accepted during the workshops if accompanied by an adult.
Price : Free
Note 1 : The show “One Unclouded Dance For A Crowd” & the workshops contain loud music.
Note 2 : Activities and performances all day : come and go as you wish. Detailed schedule below.
Drop-in accepted in limit of available spots. Booking recommended.
Frédéric Gies performing Jumelles (2023). Photo : Thomas Zamolo
DETAILED PROGRAMME
15.00 · [Teater Barbro] · Welcome words by Dance is ancient team
Introduction. In English.
15.15 · [Teater Barbro] · Album (revisited)
- Performance
In 2009, Frédéric Gies created the piece Album (praticable), for which they created short dances as if they were pop songs. They presented them on stage, in the form of a dance concert and also created video versions of them, in collaboration with the video artist Andrea Keiz, as if making music videos. The collection of dance videos was then distributed in the form of a DVD (yes, it was in 2009 !!!), given as “merch for free” to the spectators after each show.
Today, in Album (revisited), Frédéric Gies will revisit some of these dances and will present new ones, created for the occasion. This uncanny dance concert will navigate between a deviant/surrealist cabaret, a dance diva recital from another century with a hint of a punk-rock performance and a poetry salon in which gesture have replaced words.
Album (practicable), 2019. Screenshot from the video made in collaboration with Andrea Keiz.
16.30 · [Teater Barbro] · Technosomatics tea dance
- Workshop + dance floor
After a 30 minutes exploration guided by Frédéric Gies (in English), consisting of getting in touch with your bodily sensations and chakras, the dancefloor will be all yours. Expect great techno from an invisible DJ, quasi-darkness in the middle of the afternoon and to embark on a self-discovery dance journey, with all the fun and seriousness it encompasses! No dance background or previous Technosomatics experience required.
18.15 · [Festsalen - Foyer] · Break with buffet
You are invited to the foyer of Festsalen, where a buffet is provided.
18.45 · [Festsalen - Scene] · One Unclouded Dance for a Crowd
- Performance
One Unclouded Dance for a Crowd originates in Unclouded dances, a performance/ritual for one-spectator at a time, exploring the healing potential of the act of dancing. Here, instead of a one-to-one performance, Frédéric Gies designed a collective version of this performance/ritual, during which they will dance for you, after guiding you in a series of simple collective actions, which will determine the nature and function of the dance. The dance will become a surface of projection for dreams and desires.
Performance and dance : Frédéric Gies / Music : Fiedel / Costume : Grzegorz Matlag
19.45 · [Festsalen - Foyer] · Break with buffet
You are invited to the foyer of Festsalen, where a buffet is provided.
20.15 · [Festsalen - Scene] · Techno-oke
- Dance practice
Technooke: dance like you would sing at the karaoke. Here, no lyrics to follow but the video-documentation of Shadowboxing by Frédéric Gies, projected on the screen, is here for inspiration. Dance a volcano, an ostrich, a shooting star or a sexy snake to the exhilarating techno beats by Fiedel. No one will watch you as everyone will face the screen. You can as well just watch the video and enjoy the music.
20.15 · [Festsalen - Foyer] · Lounge for thoughts
- Conversation
The foyer becomes a lounge area, as a space for reflection at the end of the day. Frédéric Gies will answer your questions and side conversations will be enabled. A specific score for the conversations will be provided. In English.