‘Elevation’ is inspired by concepts from the book, Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. In the book, Kimmerer draws on her life as an indigenous scientist, a mother, and a woman. She shows how other living beings offer us gifts and lessons, even if we’ve maybe forgotten how to hear their voices. She circles toward a central argument: that the awakening of a wider ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. The ceremonial dance piece takes the concept of nature as a teacher and translates it into movement. ‘Elevation’ additionally explores the dualities of destruction and creation, greed and generosity, despair and restoration- all which are prominent aspects of our human relationship to the natural world. The goal of the piece is to use dance as a tool to move people into more conscious states of gratitude, awareness and care, therefore contributing to life in better reciprocity with nature. ‘Elevation’ premiered in Theater Felina-Areal in March, 2021 as part of the festival, “Tanzt Böse Blumen” and was later selected and performed at the Landesmuseum Stuttgart as part of the festival, “Bühne Frei” in December, 2021.
-Choreography & Concept: Amelia Eisen
-Dancers: Kirill Berezovski & Mike Planz
-Music: Güldeste Mamaç – http://www.guldestemamac.com
-Lights: Georg Gropp
-Camera: Katja Visschers