Barbara and William, the protagonists of the performance, are situated somewhere between the world of ballroom dancing and the musical, revealing their second natures hidden behind false smiles and perfected technique. Exploring the physical and psychological relationships between the dancers participating in the dance competition, the performance engages in a conversation with the discourse on the situation of contemporary dance.
concept, research, choreography and dance: Magdalena Chowaniec, Mathieu Grenier dramaturgy: Isnelle da Silveira stage and light design: Nico de Rooij sound: Mathieu Grenier production manager: Lisa Schmidt production: VierHochDrei, Tanzquartier Wien with support of: City of Vienna with thanks to: Les Ballets C de la B (Gandawa), Johannes Feigl This event is made possible by INTPA - INTERNATIONAL NET FOR DANCE AND PERFORMANCE AUSTRIA of Tanzquartier Wien from funds by BMUKK and BMeiA
Magdalena Chowaniec, trained first as a ballet dancer, holds title of Master of Arts from A.Bruckner University in Linz. Since 2004 she works as a dancer, performer, singer and a choreographer with Superamas Collective (F/A), Oleg Soulimenko (RUS), Anne Juren (F), Cooperativa Performativa (RO), Mark Tompkins (US), Georg Hobmeier (A), Agata Maszkiewicz (PL/F), Mathieu Grenier (F), Jerome Bel (F), Amanda Pina (CHI). In 2007 she obtained a danceWEB scholarship and created an artistic collective Mariamagdalena. Her works: a solo “Hold Your Horses” (2008), “The Mob:Fixing Freedom Tour” (2009), “Empathy Project Vol. I”, “Until death do us part” were shown in Poland, Germany, Austria, Netherlands and Switzerland. Besides she is a lead vocalist of The Mob Fixing Freedom. In 2009 she obtained a scholarship for performing arts from the Austrian Ministry of Culture and she is being mentioned as “Remarkable Emerging Choreographer” in the Yearbook of Ballettanz 2010. Since 2008 she is researching the phenomena of physical empathy.
Mathieu Grenier was born in France. First he studied at the Conservatory of Dance and Theatre in Bordeaux and in 2009 he joined the formation Ex.E.R.CE in Centre Chorégraphique National de Montpellier. In 2010 he performed in a piece “Black & blues” by Mark Tompkins and he collaborates with him since than. Since 2008 he is also a head of a music band “The Toys” where he is active as a musician, singer, arranger and composer. Besides he collaborates currently with Julie Oosthoek as well as he teaches and gives master classes in music, rhythm and dance to the youth and kids.