Mellowing (2023)   Christos Papadopoulos

Christos Papadopoulos is one of the young up-and-coming choreographers committed to the intensive observation of movement. His unique pieces are dedicated to both the meditative and lively powers of the body. He focuses on the minimal shifts of perception, on the perpetual, often unnoticed and yet powerful movements that are omnipresent in nature, everyday life, physical phenomena and political contexts.
In Mellowing, Papadopoulos explores the question of what happens to a body that is outwardly at rest and inwardly vibrating. What happens in and to it before the energy surfaces? What are the effects when a body matures?
This is the Greek choreographer’s first programme with Dance On, an ensemble of dancers over the age of 40 that explores the value of age. When are we old? How can experience and resulting knowledge be put to creative use? And how can dance help to challenge the idealisation of youth that is so prevalent in our culture? With their knowledge and experience, they jointly explore points of perception and the intensity of the moment, creating a lively restlessness, a permanent vibration, in which the spectator is inevitably involved.

Choreography: Christos Papadopoulos
Artistic Director Dance On Ensemble: Ty Boomershine
With: Ty Boomershine, Javier Arozena, Alba Barral Fernández, Anna Herrmann, Emma Lewis, Gesine Moog, Miki Orihara, Tim Persent, Marco Volta, Lia Witjes Poole
Assistance choreography: Georgios Kotsifakis
Music: Coti K
Lighting: Eliza Alexandropoulou
Costumes: Werkstattkollektiv
Technical direction & lighting on tour: Martin Beeretz
Sound on tour: Mattef Kuhlmey
Production management: Hélène Philippot
Collaboration Production & Participation: Anastasia Luck
International distribution: Fauves – agency for the performing arts
Premiere: 26 Jan 2023 (Radialsystem, Berlin)
Production: DANCE ON / Bureau Ritter
Co-production: ONASSIS STEGI, Athens and Centre chorégraphique national de Rillieux-la-Pape / Direction Yuval PICK, as part of the accueil-studio programme
Supported by the Capital Cultural Fund and co-financed by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union as part of DANCE ON, PASS ON, DREAM ON.

The DANCE ON initiative is a project of Bureau Ritter gUG. It is funded by the federal government from
funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.