Like a landscape, a soundscape is simultaneously a physical environment and a way of perceiving that environment. It is both a world and a culture constructed to make sense of that world.
Thomson: The soundscape of Modernity
What does the sound of forests teach us? Can the complex biophonies of forests be considered as part of a collective body memory? Are there acoustic relationships between different animal species that go beyond the purely functional? How do some animal species manage to communicate completely isochronously (at constant intervals in time) over long periods of time?
An international team of dancers, choreographers and sound artists (Berlin/Indonesia) ask themselves these questions while listening to the polyrhythms of sound recordings of different forests. In a collective process in Berlin and Indonesia, the artistic team explores the sound recordings of forests in Indonesia and Germany in respect to their personal responses and memories as well as those sentiments connected to their cultural background, i.e. mythology of the forest and ritual dances.
The four-hour sound installation and dance performance reveals the personal and collective resonances of the team and allows the audience to experience the regularities and connections of these special biophonies.
The first results of the work-in-progress is presented in the historic chapel in the Bethanien art district in March 2023. The continuation of the process will take place 2024 in East Kalimantan with an extended team of the two Dayak rooted dancers presented at Ladaya Art Space, East Kalimantan and Goethe Haus Jakarta.
Work-in-progress Performance: 31.03./01.04.2023
Kapelle, Kunstquartier Bethanien, Berlin
Premiere in Indonesia: 2024
Artistic Team:
Katia Engel – Concept, Artistic Director, Sound Recordings
Ari Ersandi – Choreography, Dance, Sound Recordings
Polett Kasza – ChoreographDance
Felix-Florian Tödtloff – Sound Design
Dramaturgy: Helly Minarti, Katja Wiegand
Production management: Katja Wiegand
PR: Apricot Productions
