DAY 4 OF YOU PERFORM

durch den monsun

With our stomachs still full from breakfast, we walk to the theater this morning. The Thalia Theater is now on summer break, so we find shelter in the Monsun Theater. Finally on a stage again. It starts right away: The speakers pump “Unforgettable” by French Montana and the dance work out picks up speed; tired eyes wake up, legs that have fallen asleep jump up and down and joints crack. Aylin lovingly leads a hip hop beginner choreo, but soon everyone is wildly dancing an energetic performance. With the break needed, there is literal Frittenfreude, as the eponymous food truck has stopped in front of the theater to keep the exhausted young people going with delicious fries and a variety of homemade sauces. Getting there is simple: ‘Einmal durch das Monsun, hinter dem Vorhang, am Ende der Schlange, bis keiner mehr vor einem steht, gegen die Hamburger steife Brise, am Hintereingang entlang’ (If you're perplex right now, you need a remedial lesson in German pop culture). But now there are performances waiting for us that need polishing. So back to yesterday's groups!

Group 1 with flo

With dim ceiling light, we have to come to terms with the new space that was given to us due to the summer break of the Thalia Theater. We do this by squeezing together on the sagging sofas and taking on a text, exchanging ideas about the content, and dividing the passages among us. The concept for our performance becomes clearer: we want to express the experience of coming together and the love of performance as an art form on stage. At the same time, it is important to the workshop leaders Adrien and Baptiste to let the different personalities speak. After much trial and error, we all name one thing that we take with us (the laughter, the conversations, the spontaneous moments of comedy) and one thing that we leave behind in the room (the dirty carpet, the fatigue, the sniffles). And although nothing is quite set yet we know: We will be able to show a performance tomorrow that is 100% us.

group 2 with carla

Today we are transferring many of the exercises we did yesterday in the pairs to the whole group. We will also experiment more with touching today. What is it like to move close to each other without really touching? What is it like to dance as a knot? What interactions arise when moving together? Going back to yesterday, the nervous system is getting finer and growing.

group 3 with emilie

In group 3 we are striping the toxic energy from our limbs, sharpen our view of each other, are looking for directions we want to take. We learn what brings us pleasure on stage and what message we want to share with the audience. While some are still performing inside and open their hearts to each other, the soda bottles are being opened outside. The practical part of the day is done, but the spirit of the past few days keeps us together. The program for the evening: enjoy a pizza and a cool drink in the evening sun. In the lively pedestrian zone we stand out. Heated faces and beaming laughter. We have become one big body strolling through the streets of Hamburg. We are rewarded with a view of the harbor during the golden hour. The melody of “Bella Ciao” swings through the park, almost Mediterranean. Harmony best describes what we feel. The cicadas chirp, we sing to the sounds of guitar strings. What else is going to happen today? No matter, we found each other.

text by carla pugnat, flo rieder & emilie willner



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DAY 5 OF YOU PERFORM