Dark Matter
The will to conquer physical boundaries blazes a trail through CENA 11’s works. This unique aesthetic, drawing from a highly considerate attention towards the body and the exhaustion of its potential, yielded CENA 11 the sobriquet “punks of the Brazilian dance and performance scene”. Dark Matter speaks of that which can only be experienced or made visible by means of transmissive process, and which comes up in the tension between body and objects. So, emotions turn into facial expression and muscle tension. What constitutes matter, how it may be experienced and what effects it produces, this remains in constant transformation throughout this work. By choreographic arrangement, paired with fictional figures and narratives, the alleged reality becomes the surface of an as-yet unexplored universe. The interplay of pandemic and political situations, in Brazil as well as in Germany, motivated Alejandro Ahmed and CENA 11 to transform the performance into a hybrid work of art: While audience and performers gather live in a Brazilian theatre space, another, a simultaneous virtual version of Dark Matter emerges, transmitted to Germany as a digital experience.
Alejandro Ahmed has served as the artistic director for the CENA 11 company, based in Florianópolis in southern Brazil, for 22 years now. CENA 11 already guested at tanzhaus nrw for the PROJETO BRASIL 2016 with their piece Monotony of Approach and Fugue to Seven Bodies as well as their first draft of Elephant Protocol.
Artistic direction, choreography: Alejandro Ahmed; Development, choreography, performance: Adélia Aurora, Alejandro Ahmed, Aline Blasius, Bianca Vieira, João Peralta, Karin Serafin, Kitty Katt, Luana Leite, Malu Rabelo, Natascha Zacheo; Production; Karin Serafin; Production assistance: Malu Rabelo; Choreographic assistance: Aline Blasius; Production and social media team: Aline Blasius, Kitty Katt, Luana Leite and Natascha Zacheo; Translation: Kitty Katt; Design and programming of the objectsfor “Matéria Escura”: Diego de los Campos; Texts: Grupo Cena 11; International distribution: Gabi Gonçalves, Corpo Rastreado - São Paulo; Tech: JUSC-Jurerê Sports Center.
A production by CENA 11 / Alejandro Ahmed, co-produced by tanzhaus nrw, Künstlerhaus Mousonturm Frankfurt a.M., Sesc Vila Mariana - Sesc São Paulo, Corpo Rastreado and Goethe-Institut. The guest performance takes place in the framework of the international production houses, funded by Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien.