From August 2017 till May 2019 I took part in a surreal trip; working with Dimitris Papaioannou and Tanztheater Wuppertal – Pina Bausch on a new creation. The piece was premiered in May 2018 in Wuppertal and had a European tour throughout 2018 and 2019 (Holland Festival Amsterdam, Onassis Stegi Athens, Sadler’s Wells London, Théâtre de la Ville – La Villette, Festival Armonie D’ Arte Catanzaro).
During the first workshop in August 2017 I had the luck to meet the entire company; all its dancers and the team running Tanztheater Wuppertal. While being part of the creative team I could observe how Papaioannou works; how he collaborates with his team; how he organises his rehearsal time; how he evolves material and ideas; how he designs and develops working methods; what is his approach towards space, time and timing.
Papaioannou’s work is in its essence a process of composing with elements, such as bodies in space, light and sound – very close in its core to that of a composer’s work. His latest piece The Grate Tamer is a composition of scenic material, ideas in space and time, put together in a way that is both abstract (thus leaving space for the audience to actively interpret the performance), but as well clear in intensions, while triggering a substantial counterpoint of emotions.
The making of Since She consisted of three 12-day workshops and a final rehearsal period of 1,5 months, all in Wuppertal. My role in the creative team was that of the sound designer, while conducting the music research and music arrangement of the work together with Stephanos Droussiotis. The performance’s sound design was a multichannel creation of multiple speakers on stage pointing towards the main scenographic element (a mountain of dark mattresses), in combination with the house PA system as a mere support wherever sonic strength was needed. A set of microphones was put on stage or on dancers in certain moments of the performance, enhancing live sounds. My focus was on creating a sonic world for the dancers on stage, taking advantage of the reflections and the sound’s muffling by the soft set, in contrast with the signature use of music by the company in Pina Bausch’s work (mainly coming out from the house PAs straightforward to the audience’s ears). The sound coming from the stage was hopefully inviting the audience towards it, inside Since She’s world.
Working with this team was an intense but fulfilling experience. Next to Dimitris Papaioannou guiding the roller coster of a new creation with his craftsmanship and sharp eyes (and ears), the rest of my colleagues in the creative team where all devoted to the work throughout the process, fighting against time and resolving all practicalities. And, the dancers of Tanztheater Wuppertal; all charismatic and overwhelmingly talented people with characters of unique qualities. It has been such an honour to get to know them and work together with them.
Click here to read an article by the greek edition of Huffington Post on the first workshop days.