modes

modes

Research Project

(starting in 2007)



Initiated by Raffaella Galdi, the research project is about the exploration of dance and text and the possibility of their interaction. How can text and dance influence each other without being used to describe each other? Can they have a dialog? How are these art forms interpreted when presented together? The research investigated and observed which effects words have on us, how they can be used as a source for creating movements, when they are written and when they are spoken, what kind of input they can give to dance. The texts were written specifically for this work between 2007-2009 by Raffaella Galdi and viewed by Nicholas Elliot. They avoid narrative and present an intentionally fragmentary array of brief stories, thoughts, questions, aphorisms and single words. The dance vocabulary was developed by the dancers through improvisation, using the inputs given by the texts and their vocal interpretation. Several improvisational tasks have been explored and carried out by using the written and the recorded version of the texts. Alexander Sieber used the texts/words by integrating their melodies, rhythms and dynamics to electronic sounds. He experimented with possible soundscapes within which the words’ meanings added another layer to the auditive experience. Elke Pusl performed the texts.


I am fascinated by words not only for their meanings, but also for their sounds, melodies, rhythms and dynamics. These qualities are tools with which dance can find its inspiration. (Raffaella Galdi)



Process


The investigation on movements and texts/words took place between March 2007 and November 2009. It has been divided in several “working blocks”, which took place in artblau Tanzwerkstatt in Brauschweig, in fabrik Potsdam, in Potsdam and in Studio LaborGras in Berlin.


From the exploration, Raffaella Galdi choreographed three solos and two duos. Part of them is now be presented as one performance called 

MODES of locomotion.


Artists

Carlos Bustamante, video and photos documaentation

Josep Garcia Caballero, dance

Nicholas Elliott, writer

Raffaella Galdi, concept, dance, texts

Mira Moschallski, dramaturgy

Elke Pusl, actress / voice and texts interpraetation

Alexander Sieber, sound design

Elisabeth Stockinger, dance