s

Berlin

Premiere: FRÜCHTCHEN DES ZORNS

SKART, Dasniya Sommer & Theater Thikwa

Premiere: 9. September 2026, 20 Uhr.
Und am: 10, 11, 12. September, 8 Uhr + 13.9. um 16 Uhr.
English text here

Wie können wir in einer Welt voller zerstörerischer Konflikte befreiend und enthemmt streiten?

Mit dieser zentralen Frage im Gepäck untersucht die Hamburger Performance-Gruppe SKART gemeinsam mit der Berliner Tänzerin und Choreographin Dasniya Sommer und dem Ensemble von Theater Thikwa das transformierende Potenzial von Streit, Zank und Wut.

In tänzerischen Ritualen, surrealen Body-Art-Momenten und bildstarken Bondagechoreographien sezieren sie die Muster zwischenmenschlicher Auseinandersetzungen. Brezel Göring und die Thikwa-Musiker*innen heizen mit ihrem trash-poppigen Rock & Roll die performative Saalschlacht an. Und während es auf der Bühne kracht und scheppert, sprießen poetische Momente der Zuneigung und Versöhnung wie Veilchen und blaue Augen.

Choreographie: Dasniya Sommer / Regie: Mark Schröppel (SKART) / Musik: Brezel Göring
Dramaturgie: Björn Auftrag / Bühne: Henrik Weber / Assistenz Regie/Kostüm: Malin Burgau / Lichtdesign: Maika Knoblich / Foto/Video: Florian Krauss / Übertitel: Barbara Wiebking / Technik: Holger Duhn, Eric Scheller / Assistenz: Julian Lukas Frey / Backstage Betreuung: Leonor Gaudêncio

Tanzpraxis

The finest match: Naniek K. Dancing with Laurie Young. Finishing my research with a space and choreographic sketch in the most fortunate community. I found out about Naniek K. through Ratu a work created by Jee Chang for this years Tanztage Festival. They kindly introduced me to a truly royal and felt ur-berliner 81 year old lady and former Indonesian court dancer. She had more energy than all of us together in the room! ;)
Touching on basic ideas and making space for two rare generations on the dance floor. Observing their universes of experience side by side, and a familiar proximity of Asian and Western European philosophies of movement was reconciling.
Laurie Young encountered Naniek K. with such grace and responding to her with an emotional clarity which resonated in a tangible time-relationship making me passionately wanting to continue!
In the background playing with rhythms of yellow.

More photos below by Fungi Fung.

Shibari Class April

 

When: Tuesday April 28, 2026 at Haus Sommer / Uferhallen
Hours: 7-9.30pm

This Light – intermediate Shibari class is directed at people with previous bondage/shibari experience and newbies to learn Shibari in a small group environment.
We begin intuitively with the basics by following individual impulses to place and guide ropes around your partner. When safety principles like body handling, rope management and friction get fluid, we move to systematic rope patterns. Verbalising desire, sensing the breath, or experimenting different qualities of touch are continuous communication tools during the practice.
Technically the class includes: floor play, harnesses such as futo momo, TK / gote / box harness / panty- / mermaid techniques, and up-lines which will be taken to semi-suspension.
There is time to switch roles to deeper understand restriction from both perspectives. The roped experience, as well as the complex skill set of the rigger, in order to create meditative ties or sexy phantasies.

The class material and aesthetic is strongly inspired by Japanese Shibari artists such as Norio Sugiura, Kasumi Horai or Akira Naka. Dasniya has learned from them during several workshops and encounters in Europe and Asia. Another important teaching source is her professional dance and performance practice which includes collaborating with Roméo Castellucci, Florentina Holzinger or the collective Das Helmi. Continuously transforming the traditional ritual for stage or installations Dasniya has been an inspiring rope artist beyond the Berlin community since 20 years.

Location: Haus Sommer is located at Uferhallen Kulturwerkstatt. The atelier with tatami and tea kitchen allows suspension on bamboo for 4 couples. The small group size creates an intimate frame to explore Shibari for single participants, couples, or for small groups of peers.

If you are new to bondage/shibari and interested in this class, please send a mail to the address below. The small group size allows the class material to be adapted to the experience level of new participants and regulars.

– Please bring comfortable (training) clothes and ropes if you have.
– Ideally you register with a partner. If you don‘t have a rope partner yet, there often are other solo participants to pair up with. There is also the possibility to watch the class or self-tie.
– Costs 30 Euro per person.

Mail: workshops(at)dasniyasommer(dot)de / Messenger: haussommer / Insta: Kinbaku Haus / WA: +49-174-393 70 49

Dates: 28.4.2025
Hours: 19-21.30h
Costs: 30 Euro per person (max. four couples)

Haus Sommer is located at Uferhallen Kulturwerkstatt – Wedding Uferstrasse 8,13357 Berlin. Entrance B6
In case the door is locked please call the number above.
Map here

Photos: Eliko in ropes. Photographed by Werner Amann. Ropes: Dasniya Sommer.

Research

Developing a visual sketch and potential collaborations in the frame work of my Tanzpraxis stipend:
with Naniek K. (81), Laurie Young (52), Dasniya Sommer (45) and Fungi Fung (32).
‘There is a big lack of spending time with older women.. ,’ Laurie said after these try outs, and I so agree. Most of my life I haven’t spent enough time with elderly people due to family constellations, project directions and seemingly unbridgeable cultural gaps. Both our Asian parents are/were not living in Europe, and during our dance try outs Naniek K. filled the room with a warm familiar vibe only elder Asian people do – which reminded us to them. It’s a certain perspective and wisdom they own. Keeping spirit and humour high, while often their non-linear live experience, living outside their culture for a long time in western societies, resonates. She made us giggle pointing to the absurdest everyday live observations, laughing loudly always with dignity and a sense of humbleness. Also very non German, maintaining hand contact while talking to us. Heart warming! Later she spoke more about the shadow sides of having an every day job in Western Germany in the 80es. I well remember these family stories of alienation in work situations.
If we were to develop a piece I am curious about finding choreographic translations for Laurie’s and Naniek K.‘s vast performative archive. Switching from directing to joining them as dancer could work after figuring out how their classical and contemporary dance forms relate and defining a position in this triangle. Also I am curious how the musical concept we conceptualised for Fungi plays into it.
Even if beyond resources I find testing these small scale ideas as a first step essentially productive. The stipend was strongly supportive for this! It allowed me to chew and reflect over creative topics and intangible gut feelings for longer than usual. It gave time to find the right group and organise ideas. Thanks again to the choreographer Jee Chan who supported this collaboration.
There is an irony for me unfolding my dance practice with such wise dancers only now. But it makes sense. Seems I had to first grow into the machinery and performance scene. I appreciate this reverse opportunity: going from intense body-/ performance art to creating a body friendly, long lasting, minimalist dance practice.

Photos: Fungi Fung.

With many thanks for the support to Senatskanzlei für Kultur und Medien Berlin / Tanzpraxis.

TOIL – Sheena McGrandles & Friends

Back to Uferstudios rehearsing ‚Toil‘ by Sheena McGrandle.
Save the premier: December 3, 2025 + 4 +5 + 6.12.2025

HAU2, Hallesches Ufer 34, 10963 Berlin
Tickets  here
English here

“TOIL” untersucht den tanzenden Körper bei der Arbeit –  hin- und hergerissen zwischen Entfremdung und Begehren, Routine und Rebellion. Ausgehend von Ballett, irischem Folk und Punk entwerfen fünf Tänzer*innen in Begleitung von zwei Musiker*innen ein physisches Porträt des Tanzes als Ort von Arbeit und Sehnsucht zugleich.

“TOIL” ist eine choreografische Erkundung von Arbeit und ihrer emotionalen, historischen und körperlichen Dimensionen. Entstanden aus einer tiefen Hingabe an den Tanz mit all seinen Kämpfen und Freuden, reflektieren die Tänzer*innen Michelle Cheung, Eli Cohen, Martin Hansen, Mickey Mahar und Dasniya Sommer was bleibt, wenn Bewegung selbst zur Arbeit wird. Live begleitet von Marta Forsberg und Steve Heather, bewegt sich die eigens für “TOIL” komponierte Musik zwischen Elektro, Folk und Punk. In einem reduzierten Bühnenbild entsteht eine intensive Auseinandersetzung mit der eigenen Körperlichkeit, mit Rhythmus und Zusammenhalt. Ein ständiges Bemühen, den sich ständig veränderten Rhythmen der Zeit zu folgen.

Team

Konzept und Choreografie: Sheena McGrandles / Choreografie und Performance: Michelle Cheung, Eli Cohen, Martin Hansen, Mickey Mahar, Dasniya Sommer / Musikkomposition: Steve Heather, Marta Forsberg / Dramaturgie: Jette Büchsenschütz / Bühnenbild, Kostüme: Michiel Keuper / Kostümassistenz: Julianne Längin /Lichtdesign: Elliott Cennetoglu / Technische Leitung: Emese Csornai / Choreographic outside eye: Laurie Young and Louise Trueheart /Kreative Produktion: Saskia Schoenmaker / Produktionsassistenz: Cote Jaña / PR/Social Media: Agnė Auželytė

Image © Evan Loxton.

Studio Rental

From Oktober to December 2026 I am partially sharing my Studio at Uferhallen. It is a bright and calm space for physical training, shootings, meetings and research.
Two rooms 45m2, with dance floor or tatami, photo screens and tea kitchen. The space is great for concentrated writing projects, shibari tying/teaching, and shootings on white and green screen.

For more information contact: email(at)dasniyasommer(.)de

Research: Storia Infinita

Try outs: Eliko moves and suspends between plastic plates. Moss-swings, passepartout underlay for organic material and the skin as intimate surface. Eliko‘s partner joins the session, lifts and swings her gently for hours in the air.
Meanwhile woollen clouds are falling apart. One looks like Fuchur from the Never Ending Story, maybe after the Japanese luck dragon Fuku Ryū.

Model: Eliko
Fotos: Werner Amann
Support: Iman.rhv
Space concept + ropes: Dasniya Sommer

Here some fragments from conversations on the try out, and how material, sound and performance can share the space:
during the Open Studio weekend at Uferhallen one guest asked if the contrast of the material has specific meaning. Others saw references to the Czech/Slovak feminist female artist Anna/Anča Daučíková.
To start with I was mainly inspired by the bright, oversize Dojo of the BJJ championship in Crete I saw last autumn.
Or is it a colourful chessboard? A dojo as place of learning, or a chessboard as place to play against each other? Speaking with a sound person they wondered if the geometric plates is a visual arrangement of music? Is there a correlation between the coloured areas and a performers physical impact on the material, for example an extra boxing dummy? And would the boxing dummy be recognisable as such, or would it be stuffed with sheep wool into an amorphous structure that eventually bursts open, revealing soft texture?
Do the squares represent tonal sound diagrams, or are they simply colored dojo mats depicting a non-hierarchical space?
Do the panels in primary colours need to be complemented with intermediate/pastel tones?
Is the wooden ladder part of the space and does it suggest something about the process-oriented, unfinished nature of the work- which is what research always is? Not a finished piece, but a step/phase in the creative process.

 
Workshop series: Harness in motion
choreografie-tanz-dasniya-sommer-bondage-shibari-Kunst-yum-yum-ballhaus-ost-berlin-rope-dance-workshops-klassen-performance
The series ‚Harness in Motion‘ consists of three workshops this summer:
1. class: Navigating weight lightly – 27.6.25

2. class: Skin, ropes and trust – 22.7.25

3. class: Adrenalin / Shibari fight club – 23.9.25
The workshop focuses on dynamic system of movements and rope restriction. Dasniya will open her vast dancers tool box to creatively expand the traditional shibari vocabulary. Rope harnesses will serve as anchor points and transform the classical top-bottom dynamic into playfully and intimately moving with your partner through space.

Note: This class is the second of a series of three classes that will explore this topic in depth. The classes build on each other but it is not obligatory to take all three of them.
For more information please contact: workshops(at)dasniyasommer.de

or register via: Karada House.
Dasniya Sommer is a Berlin-based choreographer, dancer and teacher who works in the range from performance to photography and video art, from Japanese Shibari to classical ballet. She examines movement and image from the perspective of the dancer. For 20 years Dasniya has practiced Japanese Shibari/Bondage stretching performative aesthetic categories, making shibari accessible to a wider and intersectional community.
 She tries to combine pure Japanese techniques (currently Akira Naka inspired) with an unconventional anarchic approach, often integrating objects or organic material into the process. 
Dasniya’s teaching is informed by her experience as a rigger and shibari model. Melting schools and philosophies from a great number of teachers such as Chanta Rose, Kamijoo Saki, Kasumi Hourai, Arisue Go, Akira Naka, Tamandua, Gestalta, and Norio Sugiura. She regularly teaches at ‘Haus Sommer’ her studio in Uferhallen Kulturwerkstatt, and a.o. at ImPulsTanz Vienna, Lismore’s Queer-Community/Australia, and Braunschweig University of Art. ‘Sculpting or moving with ropes I deeply enjoy the handcrafting moment combined with sensual attention towards my partner or the bondage material.‘
Photo by Pippa Samaya.
 
Shibari & Materiality
 
Tying with Tsubi-rope in my studio last month. For a while I had a curiosity about integrating raw wool into rope work. It’s smell and sensuality, jute and skin texture. And in the expressions diving, trusting and leaning against this fascinating material produces.

It’s not meant to look Inuit-like, but does a little I think. Warm thanks to Tsubi-rope for an endless-durational sculpting session.