Land im Land

A production of the Theater Bielefeld in co-production with MOUVOIR. In collaboration with École des Sables, as world premiere of the project series D³ – Dance Discovers Digital.

THE CONNECTION OF PEOPLE IN DANCE
LAND IM LAND is an image within an image, thus an image that contains itself: a mise en abyme. It is the “making real” of a utopian meeting place beyond spatial boundaries. It is a country without a place and a history without a chronology. A play between presence and absence. It is a great dance feast where the question or non-question of absolute hospitality is brought to the fore: Who is guest or host and is it even important to define or name it?
Land im Land was based on the idea of an encounter of three communities. The ensemble of TANZ Bielefeld, six artists from the company MOUVOIR/ Stephanie Thiersch and seven artists from Africa meet in a space that is both analogue and virtual and together, playfully and invitingly, sound out their differences in a large dance feast. The essence of the movements – and thus also the traditions from which they arise – are transported from body to body, from people to people, and supplemented with a new, different wealth of experience. Voices, body awareness, dance traditions and music from all over the world mix on a colourful dance floor and create an indefinable space of differences. This results in an 80-minute groove between club, family celebration, village festival and house party.

The production is supported by the Ministerium für Kultur und Wissenschaft des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen in collobaration with NRW Kultursekreteriat and by the Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien and ist programm NEUSTART KULTUR.
Graduate-support by DIS-TANZ-START of Dachverband Tanz Deutschland.

staging and stage design: Stephanie Thiersch
choreography: Stephanie Thiersch in collaboration with the dancers

with Tommaso Balbo, Neus Barcons Roca, Carla Bonsoms i Barra, Cola Lok Yee Ho, Kelvin Kilonzo, Hampus Larsson, Amy Lombardi, Andrea Martín, Margaux Marielle-Tréhoüart, Laura Martín Rey, Noriko Nishidate, Alexandre Nodari, Joel Suárez Gómez, Ana Torre, Adrien Ursulet, Luca Völkel, Andrea Zinnato

Crew Senegal/École des Sables: Fatou Niang, Falilou Faye, Kezia Jonah, Bob Chris Lopez, Christ Zié, N’deye Seck, Tarang Cissokho

Artistic supervision Senegal: Alesandra Seutin
Costumes: Lauren Steel
Music: DJ Elephant Power aka Nicolas Baudoux
Video/Digital director: Navid Razavi
Lighting: Stephanie Thiersch, Volker Ratjczak – based on a lighting concept by Begoña Garcia Navas
Stage design assistance: Anna Sörensen
Outside Eye: Fabien Almakiewicz

Director of Photography: Björn Weber
Dramaturge: Alban Pinet
Choreographic assistance: Margaux Marielle-Tréhoüart, Joel Suárez Gómez
Rehearsal assistance: Sarah Deltenre, Margaux Marielle-Tréhoüart, Joel Suárez Gómez

pictures: Joseph Ruben Heicks, Martin Rottenkolber

pictures: Joseph Ruben Heicks

“a large-scale interplay of dance and digital technology” (Die Deutsche Bühne).

“Stephanie Thiersch uses holograms to create encounters, not to demonstrate a technology. And thus negotiates the core of what digitality means: digitally encoded communication between people.” (Harald Wolff in: Die Deutsche Bühne)

“The simultaneity in which so many things happen and the joy with which they happen at the end of the play, is like a symbol of what digitality can be: Everywhere something is happening that then connects – but in this case to a celebration. It’s a counter image to social media hate.” (Harald Wolff in: Die Deutsche Bühne)

“The explosive encounter in space, the dynamics and strength of the collisions that Stephanie Thiersch creates on the spot – that’s what her work lives from.” (Harald Wolff in: Die Deutsche Bühne)

“it is said: we celebrate and dance because we know we will die. It is because of this abyss that the evening is so good.” (Harald Wolff in: Die Deutsche Bühne)

“the play with mortality, with disappearing and yet being there, gives this evening its special quality.” (Harald Wolff in: Die Deutsche Bühne)

“In about 85 minutes, the consistently powerful dancers in Stephanie Thiersch’s choreography set off a high-energy firework of the most diverse international dance styles, from traditional African techniques to urban dance, which finally culminates in a wild, exuberant party.” Bettina Weber, Die deutsche Bühne online

“A successful example of an intensive togetherness of dance and digitality” Bettina Weber, Die deutsche Bühne online

“As a further spun ‘picture in a picture’ a true celebration of dances, languages and cultures has emerged with LAND IM LAND, which also seeks and finds a connection between digital and real presence through holographic projections – mixed reality as a modern version of heterotopia.” Bettina Weber, The German Stage Online

“a tableau of universal hospitality in utopian living space. [Stephanie Thierschs] world premiere LAND IM LAND designs a utopian place for analogue and virtual contacts, which quite impermeably and directly make their way to the audience as a breathless, colourful dance feast. It’s a big, colourful festival that celebrates nothing but life itself.” Heike Krüger, Neue Westfälische

“The universal language of dance creates community across borders, even continents. An encouraging finding in uncertain times.” Heike Krüger, Neue Westfälische

“Young people of different origins – indicated in rainbow-coloured costumes that skilfully bridge the gap between African tradition and futurism” Uta Jostwerner, Westfalenblatt

on Tour:

01.03.2023, 20 h

Theater Bielefeld

TOR 6 Theaterhaus, Bielefeld

28.02.2023, 20 h

Theater Bielefeld

TOR 6 Theaterhaus, Bielefeld

23.02.2023, 20 h

Theater Bielefeld

TOR 6 Theaterhaus, Bielefeld

19.02.2023, 19.30 h

Theater Bielefeld