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With „Gezeiten - Tides" Sasha Waltz bids farewell to Berlin's Schaubühne.
Exactly 13 debut performances Sasha Waltz produced for Berlin's Schaubühne. The last one, number 13, was first presented November 19th, 2005. But it wasn't the superstitiousness of the ominous number 13 that lured the spectators to that huge dancing event. In fact, many of the people came to watch Sasha Waltz's farewell performance more or less as a comment to the ongoing 'war of the roses' between her and actor-director Thomas Ostermeier.
The last time Berlin's Schaubühne hit the headlines such as this was in January 2000, when Sasha Waltz reopened the legendary but in deficit theater at Lehniner Square with her meanwhile famous production „Bodies“. At that time Waltz, her production manager and companion Jochen Sandig, director Thomas Ostermeier and dramatic advisor Jens Hillje assumed the leadership of Schaubühne. A quite efficient combination, whereof six creative and artistic years emerged. Nevertheless the idea didn't work out very well, as the permanent lack of money stayed during all those years. The main reason for star-choreographer Waltz to leave the establishment.
The promise of Berlin's Senate for Cultural Affairs to support Sasha Waltz and her company with money from the anually allocation of the Schaubühne caused trouble with director Ostermeier, who argued heatedly against this grant. In an official response Waltz now stated explicitly, with her decision she wants to pave the way „for clear financial and structural propotions, in order to terminate the long lasting budget debates between dance and theater.“
However, Waltz's farewell performance doesn't include any jaundiced scenes regarding this ongoing dispute. „Gezeiten-Tides“ concentrates on real worldshaking crises and catastrophes like the Tsunami, the earthquake in Pakistan, flood katrina in New Orleans, the terror - and people's attempts to deal with such emergency sitiuations.
In Berlin many choreographers are worried about the current situation of Performing Arts, particularly in respect to a general recognition of their work and working conditions. For further details click here.
The last time Berlin's Schaubühne hit the headlines such as this was in January 2000, when Sasha Waltz reopened the legendary but in deficit theater at Lehniner Square with her meanwhile famous production „Bodies“. At that time Waltz, her production manager and companion Jochen Sandig, director Thomas Ostermeier and dramatic advisor Jens Hillje assumed the leadership of Schaubühne. A quite efficient combination, whereof six creative and artistic years emerged. Nevertheless the idea didn't work out very well, as the permanent lack of money stayed during all those years. The main reason for star-choreographer Waltz to leave the establishment.
The promise of Berlin's Senate for Cultural Affairs to support Sasha Waltz and her company with money from the anually allocation of the Schaubühne caused trouble with director Ostermeier, who argued heatedly against this grant. In an official response Waltz now stated explicitly, with her decision she wants to pave the way „for clear financial and structural propotions, in order to terminate the long lasting budget debates between dance and theater.“
However, Waltz's farewell performance doesn't include any jaundiced scenes regarding this ongoing dispute. „Gezeiten-Tides“ concentrates on real worldshaking crises and catastrophes like the Tsunami, the earthquake in Pakistan, flood katrina in New Orleans, the terror - and people's attempts to deal with such emergency sitiuations.
In Berlin many choreographers are worried about the current situation of Performing Arts, particularly in respect to a general recognition of their work and working conditions. For further details click here.