After showing a studio version of ‚Autonomous Avatar‘ by Tobias Staab at Tanzhaus Basel last year, we are now ramping up for Art Basel ^^. Looking much forward to revive the avatars!
June 18 + 19, 2025 at 8pm. Silo 1, Tanzhaus Basel.
dance
Workshop series: Harness in motion
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 – date tba / in September
In this workshop we will connect bodily restriction with dynamic system of movements. 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 dancing with your partner in 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 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.
Intermission by VAL
Here doing dramaturgy for vAL / Corey Scott-Gilbert‘s new work at Tanztage Berlin 2025/ Sophiensaele. Passionately exploring what a dramatugical approach means from a practical dancers perspective. Thanks for this beautiful collaboration, and the lovely team brought together by Corey.
INTERMISSION
Reality has become so absurd that it’s hard to distinguish fact from fiction and we, simultaneously the viewers and the subjects, are left numb. If our authentic self is being clouded by the ravages of social ills, what do we have that can break through this psychic interference to be shared? The answer could be in our dreams, but what if we are so overwhelmed and oversaturated that we can only stare in a dreamless abyss?
INTERMISSION is a solo work based on a collective archive of dreams, aiming to fill the gaps of a fragmented remembering. By falling through a procession of postures stored in his body’s archive, vAL mines for clarity in a dense fog of disrupted dreams. What memory remains is shared through a stichting of narration, ballad and physical conjurings that start to reimagine what new dreams might sound or look like. The archive is brought to life by his own performative doubt, variability and curated interruption. This relentless pursuit of lost dreams inspires anarchy which ultimately becomes his repair. What may eventually erupt when we sit together in our puzzlement?
Cast and credit:
Performance: Corey Scott-Gilbert | vAL
Choreographic Associate: Ariel Cecelia Freedman
Dramaturgy: Dasniya Sommer
Sound: ILYICH
Light: Gretchen Blegen
Scenographer: Lea Steinhilber
Costume: SADAK
Production: Neda Sanai
Photos: Mayra Wallraff
This performance features hanging textiles made in collaboration with Luis Alberto Rodriguez and SADAK as well as the voices of Charli Reese Kane, Harvest Shira Shiloah, Kayden Tickner, Stelios Tsatsos, Gus Solomons Jr.
A production by vAL. Originally commissioned by Emerging Change Tanzfestival with the support of Flutgraben Performances Residencies and Sophiensæle. The 34th Tanztage Berlin is a production of Sophiensæle. Funded by the Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion. With the kind support of Tanzfabrik Berlin e.V., Theaterhaus Berlin and Uferstudios GmbH. Media partners: Berlin Art Link, Missy Magazine, Siegessäule, taz.
Tanzpraxis Research: Para Ju Jitsu WM in Crete
Heraklion
An inspiration journey with Fungi Fung. A while ago Fungi said she is eligible for the BJJ (Brasilien Ju Jitsu) Para World Championship in Crete this year. Do it! I said, but the registration turned out too pricey. Take these dollars from the Tanzpraxis scholarship, we continue our choreographic research SPK (der Sommer-Phuong-Komplex, see below), and you bring gold home! ^^
Happy experiencing a new world of performing sports! An extremely beautiful competition hall with more than fifty nations competing. There were six fighting areas, many female referees and most interesting set up that during fights, coaches are allowed to sit behind a counter feedbacking and screaming advices, as from the outside they often have a better view on how to undo the complex Ju Jitsu drills. If you want, these locks look like a forceful killing embracement.
All para fights took place on the last day. Fungis opponent was a male fighter on the autism spectrum. It was important to know, as the para categories are put together by the official board and coaches, so that restrictions are relatively equal, and both fighters have a realistic chance to win. There was valuable briefing from Yakup Mutlu, a fighter himself, and Fungis dear friend and adviser to prepare her strategy. She hardly warmed up I wondered. It was all about mind setting, and became a beautiful fight. Two rounds. They both were so utterly present, like big cats spiraling. At the start one of the Brasi fans loudly macho laughed, seemingly shouting ‘you get her down in a second’, but Fungi submitted his companion in two rounds of three. The whole Brasilian team, and biggest BJJ para-organizer worldwide, were deeply fascinated by her dance-like style. Later in the day I documented the award ceremony, a.o. the Brasilien First Lady handing over gold medals, and one for Fungi! ^^
All in all I took more than 2000 photos, some videos and soul supported when possible. It definitely was a sweat producing challange, in such a testo-loaded sport event. We both admired the Mongolian and Kasachstan athletes like teenies.
The more I enjoyed running around as accredited photographer, being allowed to the edge of the tatamis, and highly aware of fighters crossing the outlines to quickly jump away.
The camera was my magnifying glas. Observing the rough take downs closely, feeling into, anticipating attacks and dramatic facial expressions after submission. Especially I liked the protocol before and after the fight. Bowing and respectfully shaking hands, that’s what I learned to little in ballet training – the sporty team spirit! One of the club board leaders told me, to shoot the as much as possible emotional snap shots for the German team, they appreciate it a lot.
For the choreographic research I am still pondering how to structurally access this form further. There is a lot of floor work, and so called ‚Duo’s’. Set sequences judged by realistic self-defense elements. One scenario for example was a person in a wheel chair taking down someone standing.
Anyway I am looking forward to take a few classes, and wonder if there is a queer, BiPoc fightclub in Berlin, to hopefully duet further with what Fungi and I started at Ada-Studio this year.
With many thanks to Senatskanzlei für Kultur und Medien Berlin / Tanzpraxis for the support of my choreographing research, and to the DJJB (Deutscher Ji Jutsu Bund).
War Games – Münchener Kammerspiele
Sehr besonders 16 junge Performer*innen für ‚War Games‘ von Skart zu choreografieren. Wir haben viel diskutiert wie Jugendliche mit Seilen arbeiten können. Wo Sinnlichkeit anfängt, was das Handwerkliche an Seilen für junge Menschen wertvoll macht oder wie kollektives Knoten einen klaren Gruppenfokus schaffen kann. Schön zu sehen, wie behutsam und caring die Teen-Performer*innen miteinander umgehen. Der Vibe, der untereinander entsteht, wenn zB. 10 von ihnen einen verbinden, durch den Raum tragen oder auch welche Gebilde sie aus den Materialien basteln. More to come!
Ein Projekt von SKART & Friends mit Kindern im Alter von 12 bis 14
Theater der neuen Generation Das ist kein Kindertheater und auch keine Erwachsenenunterhaltung, sondern eine Performance für alle. Das Kollektiv SKART und die Kinder reden über „Erwachsenen-Themen“. Dabei sind sie radikal gleichberechtigt.
Sie beschäftigen sich mit aktuellen gesellschaftlichen Diskursen und machen auch vor dem Thema Gewalt nicht Halt. Was ist Gewalt? Was macht sie mit den Menschen? Und was haben die Kinder aus München dazu zu fragen und zu sagen?
Ein gleichermaßen künstlerisches, pädagogisches und soziales Vorhaben und auch ein Beitrag zur gesellschaftlichen Debatte über den Umgang von Erwachsenen mit Kindern.
SKART ist im Bereich Kinder- und Jugendarbeit eine der innovativsten Gruppen der deutschen Theaterlandschaft. Ihre Theater-Performances sind inspiriert durch Bildende Kunst, Body-, Sound- und Video-Art und Zeitgenössischen Tanz. SKART
Stücke sind augenzwinkernd humorvoll und spielen empowernd mit Tabuthemen, die Erwachsene Kindern gerne mal vorenthalten.
SKART & Friends Mark Schröppel (Performer & Theatermacher), Stephan Janitzky (Künstler), Charlotte Heidenreich (Performerin), Dasniya Sommer (Tänzerin & Choreografin), Janne Plutat (Kostümbildnerin), Anton Kaun (Video- & Noisekünstler), Lea Letzel (Künstlerin & Pyrotechnikerin), Deniz Khan (Musiker)
Premiere : 26. Juni 2025
Therese-Giehse-Halle / Kammerspiele
LATE
Soon travelling to Finland for Juli Reinartz resaerch/doctoral thesis. We will spend two weeks at the Saari-Residence in rural nature. A journey by land with a multi-divers team and my little one joining as well. Last week we shortly touched on the topic in her studio in Berlin where the final presentation takes place at the end of June.
I much enjoy the reflective-somatic space Juli creates on ‘Temporality and Bodies’:
LATE is a long ball.
A baroque opulence with contemporary bodies.
A collective dance on crip time.
An excess of the time that we have.
An experiment on collectivity.
How can we share time if we cannot share time?
A group of performers returns to the beginnings of dance notation, gets in formation and assesses anew the cultural past that has defined the power space around them. They put in question the possibility of synchronicity and organize the space along their temporal scope. By way of that, they create a space of simultaneities. They engage with the past in order to create a future for themselves.
Research direction and choreography: Juli Reinartz
In collaboration with the performers Addas Ahmad, Ariane, Hassan Pour-Razavi, Dasniya Sommer and Matilda Carlid
Research participation: Daria Dönch, Jojo Büttler, Massiamy Diaby
Audio description: Silja Korn in collaboration with the performers
Outside eye: Gerko Egert
Music: Iftah Gabbai
Production assistance: Merle Wurl
Technical direction: Fabian Bleisch
Funded by Kulturamt Pankow and Theater Academy, Uniarts Helsinki. With generous support of Saari Residence, funded by Kone Foundation. Supported by residency program at PACT Zollverein (Essen), funded by the Ministry for Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westfalia. Research funded by the performing arts Fund with funds from the Federal Government Commisioner for Culture and the Media as part of NEUSTART KULTUR. With generous support of Theater Thikwa.
22 and 23 June 2024
Entrance between 7 and 9pm
Storkower Strasse 115
10407 Berlin
For tickets, further information on the performance and accessibility: www.late-night.net
Contact: latebirdnight@gmail.com
German invitation here
Photo: Iftah Gabbai
Review: The Centre is Everywhere – The Circumference is Nowhere by Alice Heyward
ADA Research: SPK – der Sommer Phuong Komplex
Reasearching four weeks with Fungi Fung at Ada-Studio . Many thanks to:
Gabi Beier, Maria Ladopoulos and Liisi Hint!
And to our team:
‘Leichte Sprache’ translation and dramaturgical support: Manuel Gerst.
Outside eye: Clara Eckhardt and Akiles.
Critical companion: Melmun Bajarchuu.
There is an online stream of the performance on the Ada-site until Thursday March 21st.
And a text written by studio writer Maia Joseph.
Ada Residenz: SPK – Der Sommer Phuong Komplex
neworks – Aesthetics of Access #1
„SPK – der Sommer Phuong Komplex“ von und mit Dasniya Sommer und Fungi Fung
Fr & Sa, 15. & 16. März 2024, 19 Uhr
Die Choreografin und Tänzerin Dasniya Sommer und die Kampfsportlerin und Lyrikerin Fungi Fung haben die Residenz im ada Studio genutzt, um ihre physischen bzw. psychischen Krankheitserfahrungen performativ zu interpretieren. Von Sommers Sportverletzungen und Fungs klinischer Bipolarität ausgehend untersuchen sie die Beziehung von „krankem“ Individuum und Gesellschaft, Tanz und Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), sowie Bühnengeschehen und Publikum. Kampfsport dient ihnen dabei als tänzerische Metapher für den sozialen Umgang mit Krankheit und Gewalt. Basierend auf einer historischen Recherche zu alternativen Psychotherapiebewegungen nutzen sie u.a. Material des 1970 in Heidelberg gegründeten Sozialistischen Patientenkollektivs (SPK). Dessen Entwicklung von der emanzipatorischen Selbsthilfegruppe hin zur bewaffneten Terrorzelle begreifen sie als radikale Inspiration für eine originäre Tanzpraxis. Der SPK-Slogan: „Aus der Krankheit eine Waffe machen.“ soll so tänzerisch übernommen werden. Auf der Suche nach Antworten auf die Frage, wie choreografierte Szenen über Krankheit, Schmerz, Gewalt in eine möglichst universell lesbare, nicht verletzende Rezeption münden können, waren Formate ästhetischer Zugänglichkeit für Menschen mit und ohne geistige Behinderung von Anfang an Teil der Materialentwicklung.
Konzept, Choreografie & Tanz: Dasniya Sommer | Co-Choreografie, Text & Performance: Fungi Fung | Unterstützung Leichte Sprache: Manuel Gerst | Outside Eye: Clara Eckhardt, Akiles | Dramaturgische Unterstützung: Liisi Hint, Maria Ladopoulos | Critical Companion: Melmun Bajarchuu
„neworks – Aesthetics of Access“ ist eine Performance-Reihe, die sich auf Arbeiten konzentriert, in denen Barrierefreiheit für behinderte, Taube und/oder chronisch kranke Zuschauer*innen ein integraler Bestandteil des künstlerischen Konzepts ist. Nach der Definition von Diversity Arts Culture ist „der Begriff ‘Aesthetics of Access‘ Englisch und bedeutet Ästhetiken der Barrierefreiheit. Er bezeichnet eine Praxis in den Darstellenden Künsten: Barrierefreiheit wird in der Kunstproduktion von Anfang an und mit einem künstlerischen Anspruch eingebaut und nicht nachträglich hinzugefügt“. neworks 2024 – kuratiert von Liisi Hint und Maria Ladopoulos – zeigt im Laufe des Jahres insgesamt drei Arbeiten von Berliner Künstler*innen, die ihre ganz persönliche Perspektive gefunden haben, ihre künstlerischen Prozesse durch Mittel der Barrierefreiheit inspirieren und beeinflussen zu lassen.
Informationen zur Barrierefreiheit und Content Note:
Dauer der Performance: 40 Minuten ohne Pause
Es steht eine begrenzte Anzahl an Sitzsäcken zur Verfügung. Diese sollten bei Bedarf zusammen mit dem Ticket reserviert werden.
Texte und Gedichte in deutscher Sprache sind Teil der Performance.
Auf der Bühne kommen Fesseltechniken zum Einsatz.
Es gibt Erwähnungen von suizidalen Gedanken und eine Erzählung von Erfahrungen mit häuslicher Gewalt.
Das ada Studio ist barrierefrei für Rollstuhlfahrer*innen.
Aufgrund der geringen Größe des ada Studios ist es schwierig, umfassend für eine relaxed performance Sorge zu tragen.
Der Einlass erfolgt unmittelbar vor Beginn der Vorstellung. Für ein Early Boarding sprechen Sie bitte den Abenddienst an.
Bitte schreiben Sie uns eine Nachricht oder rufen Sie uns an, wenn Sie weiteren Assistenzbedarf haben. Wir versuchen, gemeinsam mit Ihnen Lösungen zu finden.
PS: Alle live stattfinden Veranstaltungen im ada Studio werden ab dem 2. Tag nach der letzten live-Vorstellung vier Tage lang auf www.ada-studio.de gestreamt.
PPS: Der virtuelle Besuch unserer Veranstaltungen ist kostenlos. Wir würden uns jedoch freuen, wenn Sie unsere Arbeit unterstützen und ein .com(munity) Ticket erwerben. Alle Informationen dazu finden Sie hier.
Veranstaltungsort:
ada Studio & Bühne
in den Uferstudios / Studio 7
Uferstraße 23 & Badstraße 41A
13357 Berlin-Wedding
U8 Pankstraße, U9 Nauener Platz, S Gesundbrunnen
www.ada-studio.de
Photos © Pippa Samaya
PRACTICE
There are always new tools to play with in class. For the last two years, after baby pause, it was about finding comfy performative mind sets while training, and reducing ambition.
Or about a physical focus: getting the pelvic floor strong again for jumps, or shoulder alignment after hours nursing with a crooked back. Dreaming of spiral movement patterns, or meditating on contemporary principles like martial arts and Klein-Technique combined with classic technique. Changing attitudes as moving through formal shapes. I like the technical side, and once letting go of it the inner groove takes over. My body much enjoys visiting these same old training context in new stages of life. Less for mastering, but to adapt and transform the handcraft. And, taking the proprioceptive critic by the hand to stay in a warm conversation with bones even o-40. Big thanks to Jo Siska for endless sweaty classes and for opening a creative ballet space in Berlin, Studio für künstlerischen Tanz.
Haus Sommer – Yum Yum
Premiere: May 12, 2023 at Ballhaus Ost .
In the picture: Michael Schumacher/Meine Damen und Herren Ensemble, Tara Jade Samaya, Yui Kawaguchi, Fungi Fung, Dasniya Sommer.
Documentation by Pippa Samaya.
