choreography

Fleetstreet Residenz

Very lucky to start working with Michael Schumacher/Meine Damen und Herren Ensemble on Glutamat 2.
It has been a long way to make this collaboration happen. Our research is based on combining Michaels text performance and his auratic presence when he speaks with different movement approaches. We developed a way to dance and rope-tie together, and some dramatic scenes with somewhat absurd poetry. There have been scenic ideas for a Care-Pas de Deux, plenty of sculpturous moments, and a wellness noodle bath.
We continue working on the material all through the year for a show in 2023.

Many thanks to Meine Damen und Herren, especially to Christoph Grothaus and Simone Burkhardt. And to Mark and Sina Schröppel.

Supported by Fleetstreet Theatre Hamburg, the Hamburgische Kulturstiftung, Kulturbehörde Hamburg and the Rudolf Augstein Stiftung .

Fleetstreet Residenz

Fleetstreet Theater Dasniya Sommer Choreografie Michael Schuhmacher Meine Damen und Herren -Tanz-Theater Shibari

Mit ihrer ersten gemeinsamen Kollaboration Gluatamat:2 erarbeiten die Berliner Choreographin und Tänzerin Dasniya Sommer und der Hamburger Performer Michael Schumacher ein so persönliches wie sinnliches Duett. Sommers tänzerischer Umgang mit der japanischen Bondagevariante Shibari und Klassischem Ballett trifft dabei auf das virtuose Sprech- und Sprachverständnis des langjährigen Mitglieds der inklusiven Performancegruppe Meine Damen und Herren.

Zusammen kreieren die beiden eine so abstrakte wie düster-humorvolle Choreographie. Verkaufsverpackungen und individuelle Schicksale gesellschaftlich Randständiger werden metaphorisch auf irritierende Weise verknüpft. Bewusst spielen die beiden mit einem individuellen Verständnis von Zeit. Der zusammen gesponnene Erzählfaden gibt den Takt ihres tänzerischen Rhythmus vor. Zärtliche Shibari Meditationen wechseln sich ab mit unterspannten Crip Time Duetten und absurden Ritualen.
Parallel entsteht aus großformatigen Drucken, Bambusstäben und Juteseilen eine begehbare Installation, deren grelle Ästhetik gleichermaßen mit kapitalistischem Genussversprechen und familiärer Geborgenheit spielt.

Ihre Abschlusspräsentation im Fleetstreet Theater am Mittwoch 29. Juni 2022 um 19.30 Uhr. Die Bar ist ab 19 Uhr geöffnet!

Admiralitätsstr. 71
20459 Hamburg

www.fleetstreet-hamburg.de

INTUITIVE SESSION JUNE

Movement exploration for my instagram podcast as part of the program Dis-Tanzen-Solo. Thanks to the Dachverband Tanz Deutschland e.V. für supporting this choreografic research.

Live Podcast: Wednesday June 29th, 5pm, IG: @Dasniya_Sommer

It’s a daily routine in itself to figure out each morning practice. Ranging from micro-movement exploration to narrative detail and context on a sensory level more than on a conceptual. Some material slips out spontaneously. Coming from a fraction of a memory, teeny gestures, a dream still hovering between the cells.
As I move figuring how spontaneous thought streams like to be expressed. Which parts like to be left in silence? Or more general, how finding the groove of the day? Quickly checking in mood(y)-wise, relating to the environment, the room, here a friends apartment I housesat last week. Plus for example changing forth and back my camera relation-dynamic, from an imagined observer thingy to being a comfortable partner. Inevitably working with lens proximity indoors which allows bodily perception to rest closer, within 1,50 meter. Also mime-wise there is something extra invasive communicating in this private circumference with an anonymous lens.
Often physical wear and tear play a role in discovering new and more counterintuitive coordination, because new patterns lie outside of the years of training routines. So I am navigating along the threshold of anatomical restrictions and habits and gradually transforming them into repeatable principles. Much enjoy grinding neuro-motor-pathways and thereby sort of reclaiming vocabulary which has been executed endlessly as pure movement and can grow more selfhood if wanted. That’s a difference I am choreographically curious about, balancing between dance-dance and performative-dance qualities.
Another question is about the the old good creative way…Considering semi-pleasurable/ tragic experiences, stories as nourishing sources. I like drama and pathos but equally want to find other logics, pleasure, lightness for making.

The score for this session was dancing a dream inside a dream.

Podcast on Instagram: June Tuesday 29th at 4pm @Dasniya_Sommer

„Gefördert durch die Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien im Programm NEUSTART KULTUR, [Hilfsprogramm DIS-TANZEN/ tanz:digital/ DIS-TANZ-START] des Dachverband Tanz Deutschland.“

 

Parsifal

(Sadly) another project cancelled:
without the pandemic we would now be in Brussels for the ten year anniversary of Romeo Castellucci’s Parsifal, at De Munt/La Monnaie Opera. A mammut staging with  intricate mass scenes, the highest and greenest forrest in opera history and flying flowergirls in act II.
Reviving and choreographing ropes for such a special production, with a beloved bondage crew, would have been a fun challenge after ten years.

DE MUNT / LA MONNAIE

PARSIFAL Premiere: 27.01.2011
Direction musicale: Hartmut Haenchen
Mis en scne, Decor, DŽcors et Costumes / Kostuums, ƒclairages / Belichting: Romeo Castellucci
Video: Apparati Effimeri
Choreography: Cindy Van Acker
Shibari Art: Dasniya Sommer
Photo shows: To—mas T—omasson, Frances d’ Ath, Gala Moody, Dasniya Sommer

Intuitive Session May

Movement research for Dis-Tanzen-Solo,. With Tara Samaya and Yui Kawaguchi at my Uferhallen atelier in May.

„Gefördert durch die Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien im Programm NEUSTART KULTUR, [Hilfsprogramm DIS-TANZEN/ tanz:digital/ DIS-TANZ-START] des Dachverband Tanz Deutschland.“

Research Routines – Talking Toes

Movement exploration for my instagram podcast as part of the program Dis-Tanzen-Solo. Many thanks to Dachverband Tanz Deutschland e.V. for the support.

Live session: Monday April, 26 at 4pm
www.instagram.com/dasniya_sommer/ 

Talking Toes‘ adds hip action to the previous shoulder exploration ⬇️ because foot habits usually start at the architecture of the pelvis and from there root downward. Activating individual muscles groups in the pelvic region takes a moment since it seems like one massive bone structure, sheltering and protecting our guts from external impact.
Staying on the level of movement research, I am again using PNF -proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation – a taktile sense ⬇️ to work out axes and patterns of the pelvic joint, and how it’s micro movement travel up the spine if wanted.
At first its not about moving the leg but finding the individual impulse of the right and left pelvic half. Later these impulses are extended into the periphery and shaped to classical forms but originating at the very core.

I am reading into stereometry in dance, or dynamic spatial geometry. Starting.
An arabesque cut in half brakes the idea of the infinite line, as well as the wrist rope. If there is the full circumference of movement, there also is the folded in or the restricted spacial imprint. With smaller reach, with the lower leg being visually deleted. But therefor more differentiation and attention towards surrounding and often neglected parts and their opportunities to move. Now, by immobilising the lower leg, this becomes obvious. The surrounding parts, like toe or sacrum articulation need to take over. Get creative. For a moment it’s a little brain fuck. Sensory unfamiliar. Staminawise harder, but I am after these alternative sources of movement. For now. Twitches in uncoordinated corners of the little toe, and some time later adding goofy fun stuff.
My (not so virgin) lower back also appreciates this routine. Intrinsic fibres between the vertebrae’s are waking up with deeper blood circulation, and if you do it for a while some blood will rush pleasantly across the pelvic floor.

„Gefördert durch die Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien im Programm NEUSTART KULTUR, [Hilfsprogramm DIS-TANZEN/ tanz:digital/ DIS-TANZ-START] des Dachverband Tanz Deutschland.“

GLUTAMAT research

Im Rahmen von GLUTAMAT research stellt die Berliner Choreographin und Tänzerin Dasniya Sommer die Normierung von Körperbildern, Exotismen und Fast Food Konsum in einen irritierenden Zusammenhang. Als Analysetools dienen ihr dabei ein dekonstruierndes Verständnis von klassischem Ballett, die japanische Bondage Variante Shibari und eine originäre Pop Art Adaption.

Konzept, Choreografie, Set design, Kostüme, Tanz: Dasniya Sommer
Tanz und Co-Choreografie: Tara Jade Samaya und Yui Kawaguchi
Critical companion: Ursina Tossi
Kamera und Schnitt: Pippa Samaya

1000 Dank an Tina Pfurr und Anne Brammen für die zweimonatige Residenz! Sie ist Teil des Take Care Residenzen Programms, gefördert vom Ballhaus Ost, Flausen Netzwerk und Fonds Darstellende Künste.

March: Backyard Ballet

Choreographing ‘Slow-ballet’ for my instagram podcast as part of the program Dis-Tanzen-Solo.

Early spring my practice went outdoors. Developing choreographic material at Humboldthain and on the Uferhallen compound. Part of it is to apply authentic movement principles to classical vocabulary. Reducing perfection to marking level (15%) and strip tension plus the classical attitude. Searching a quotidian mode as if walking in the streets.
Unlike often in ballet this quality allows my breathing to switch to an aerobic use of oxygen. The low-fy approach leaves also capacity to watch, hear and react with the environment. In the park when dogs and families walk by there are split second eye contacts which are actually interpersonal.
All in all I am currently searching for a mind state while dancing which can stick to a routine, yet perceives what is going on around and is less busy with ‘showing’.

Later I taught the sequence to Yui and here we are just spacing it together in her backyard. Feels familiar dancing with her since we often trained together in class. There is an underlying beat to the material but it’s intuitive. We need to see each other in the periphery and there is an attempt for synchronicity though I like the slight off-ness between us.

Thanks to the Dachverband Tanz Deutschland e.V. für supporting my choreografic research,
and to Yui Kawaguchi for the video.

„Gefördert durch die Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien im Programm NEUSTART KULTUR, [Hilfsprogramm DIS-TANZEN/ tanz:digital/ DIS-TANZ-START] des Dachverband Tanz Deutschland.“