‘Spiegelneuronen’ by Stefan Kaegi

A documentary dance evening with an audience by Sasha Waltz & Guests with Rimini Protokoll

Emotions, laughter and yawning are contagious. The reason for this phenomenon is the so-called mirror neurons in the brain, the mechanism of which was discovered in the early 1990s and can provide a key to explaining empathy and mutual understanding.

„Spiegelneuronen“ is an invitation to an ‘embodied contemplation’ on the relationship between the individual and society: The documentary dance evening by Stefan Kaegi/ Rimini Protokoll in cooperation with Sasha Waltz & Guests, celebrating its German premiere in Radialsystem at the end of August, is an experiment, in every performance anew. The audience is an essential part of the experiment: Guests are invited not just to watch the development of dancerly movement but also to move themselves, to operate as active parts of a shared system from their seats and experience themselves as part of a kind of large brain. 

The auditorium as the main place of action: A mirror is installed where the stage would be. It not only reflects the dancers but also – like a gigantic selfie – the entire auditorium with the audience. In dialogue with the dancers, the audience becomes central to the movements and not only experiences itself through the “embodiment” of complex images but also contributes to the choreography of the group. Through the mirror, spectators observe themselves and others as they watch the experiment at the centre of which they are sitting.

The documentary research for this evening draws on concepts from neuroscience, biology, sociology and artificial intelligence, which the audience both hears and encounters as a sound collage – maybe even anticipates or tries to evade.

„Spiegelneuronen” is the first collaboration of Sasha Waltz & Guests and the documentary theatre label Rimini Protokoll. Coming from very different backgrounds, both artistic ensembles are interested in the unconventional use of spaces and interdisciplinary working methods. Together with dancers from Sasha Waltz & Guests and the audience, Stefan Kaegi now explores the relationship between the individual and society using the medium of dance in front of a big mirror. Following “remains” by Andrew Schneider in 2020, the dance company is thus continuing its openness to new approaches and its interest in artistic research and cross-genre collaboration with international artists in order to expand its repertoire.

Artists/Collaborators: Stefan Kaegi (Rimini Protokoll) (Konzept und Regie), Tobias Koch (Musik), Mikko Gaestel (Video), Dominic Huber (Szenographie), Silke Bake (Dramaturgie), Martin Hauk (Licht), Sandra Tiersch (Kostüm), Claudia de Serpa Soares (Repetition), Melissa Kieffer, Dominique McDougal, Francisco Martinez Miranda , Orlando Rodriguez, László Sandig, Claudia de Serpa Soares, Wibke Storkan (Tanz Sasha Waltz & Guests), Christina von Braun (emeritierte Professorin, Kulturwissenschaftlerin, Gendertheoretikerin, Filmemacherin), John-Dylan Haynes (Professor für Hirnforschung an der Charité), Sarah Karim (Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin am Institut für… (Mit den Stimmen von)

A production by Sasha Waltz & Guests in collaboration with Rimini Protokoll. A co-production with the Salzburg Festival, Tanz Köln and Kampnagel - International Centre for Fine Arts.

Media partnerships: The Berliner, Rausgegangen, taz. die tageszeitung, tip Berlin.

Next date:

• Date Thursday, 29/August/2024 20:00 (3 more dates)
• Venue Radialsystem V
• Address Holzmarktstraße 33, 10243 Berlin-Friedrichshain