Photos: Chris Haring
The rapid development of biomedical sciences and communication technologies has made the boundary between humans and machines nearly indefinable. Are we all becoming cyborgs? Contemporary dance concentrates consistently on its basic question: the question for motivation and expression of physical action/motion. So how does a cyborg act? And how does a dancer react to these man/machine characters whom we all know from several science fiction films?
In their 7-day workshop dancer and choreographer Chris Haring and visual artist Birgit Sauer look into the subject of aesthetic and function of physical motion. As their inspiration they took movement patterns from cyborgs, mutants and androids from science fiction movies. How did authors, philosophers and directors cope with that issue so far? What kind of image does the popular genre of science fiction film even create? Do we experience these images as the ultimate horror scenario or do we see some kind of positive Utopia – in terms of boundless extension or reinvention of nature – in it?
The source material consists of several science fiction movies. As a preperation, every participant chooses a film from a certain list to search for "alien movement elements" in it. This provides the basis for improvisatory work with the group. Motion, dance and video film (that implies already available film footage and video material recorded during the workshop) are part of the process. Dancers, performing artists, filmmakers, visual artists and science fiction freaks are welcome to join.