INTERPHASE – urban digital methods I & II was an artistic research work in the field of transfer work from a sensual work that I do as a choreographer and movement researcher into a digitalised context. Within the framework of two #TAKECARE residencies, supported by Fonds Darstellende Künste with funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media within the program NEUSTART KULTUR KULTUR, I was able to give space to this important aspect in my future work as a creative worker. In INTERPHASE I, I was looking for research methods for urban dance artists to achieve qualitative results in an virtual space. The research process involved developing questions, conditions of success and ways of working about virtual forms of artistic work in a modern working world. How must a virtual research space be designed? What tasks does a digital counterpart need? How much working time can be spent on concentrated research? What kind of setting do the actors need in order to feel comfortable? What technical requirements play a role? How can the need for analogue and sensual collaboration still be satisfied? What mediation methods do I have to use as a lab director? How is the motivation for a virtual activity generated? Which senses are addressed more? Which groupings work? Camera off Camera on?

In INTERPHASE 2, I tested the developed methods and the virtual research space with 4 dancers. I worked with a topic that had been accompanying me in my work for some time: „Hybrid Identities in Urban Dance Cultures“. We dealed with sociological theories such as the „Third Culture Kid“ theory or readings of interculturality and transculturality. All dancers had different Third Culture Kid backgrounds such as flight, migration, imperialism and colonialism. All of them are experiences urban dancers and have adopted a third culture of choice: They all feel that they belong to their urban dance culture of choice. With each of the subjects, I arranged 5 appointments of 2 hours on the platform Zoom for my artistic virtual collaboration and we developed solo works, based on the collection of methods I developed.

Funding from the Fonds Darstellende Künste enabled me to conduct digital movement research with urban dancers on 3 continents. I was able to test digital methods fantastically in the residency and I gained a lot of new perspectives for future projects.

Interview 1
Interview 2