Jugendtanzcompagnie STEP by STP

BURNING. coming closer is the new contemporary dance piece by STEP by STP, the Lower Austria Youth Dance Company, which focuses on the theme of burning: What burns within us? What are young people passionate about? And what happens when a world falls apart whilst simultaneously unleashing new forces?

This burning manifests itself in various forms: as an inner glow, as anger, as feeling overwhelmed, as a longing for change. At the same time, it represents two realities: a world constantly burning in the background, and what young people themselves are passionate about – a bright future. They advocate a practice of listening and observing. The body becomes the vessel for these states: vibrating, powerful, gentle, united and exploratory. At the same time, an image of community emerges: as if around a campfire, the bodies come together and feel their shared strength. The group supports the individual whilst leaving room for personal forms of expression. In various scenes, both choreographed and improvised, the dancers create a blazing mosaic of different movement qualities and states.

The young people play a key role in the creation of the piece. Their passions, convictions, fears and hopes form the creative spark at the heart of this work. Through joint improvisations, discussions and choreographic processes, their thoughts, ideas and movements flow directly into the piece. BURNING. coming closer is a collective creative process in which individual sparks are gathered and condensed into a shared dance fire. The approximately 45-minute piece, featuring 16 dancers, is intended as an invitation to the audience to watch and listen. When the world is on fire, it is not just about putting out the fire, but about what we want to burn for – and how we carry this fire together.

CAST & CREDITS

Nina Bauer, Louize Brudermann, Helena Furmann, Veronika Graf, Marlena Gräf, Amelie Haas, Lea Haas, Lin Haidvogl, Lea Luise Hartl, Marlene Hunderter, Muskan Susanna Hurt, Lisa Kropfmüller, Elisa Lauf, Anna Maria Martin, Larissa Schenner, Lilith Simmer, Emma Staud dance

Olivia Hild artistic director, Anna Grüssinger, Katharina Holzweber choreographic and pedagogical assistant

Artistic team in collaboration with the dancers choreography, Christa Stöffelbauer (Music and Art Schools Management Lower Austria), Gabrielle Erd and team (Cultural Education, Festspielhaus St. Pölten) organisation, Larissa Kramarek scenographic consultation, Lens Kühleitner voice work and sound design

MUSIC

*Soap&Skin: What a wonderful world
*Vitamin String Quartet: Where is my mind
*Rosalia feat. Björk: Berghain
*Twin Rising: Unarmoured
*Lens Kühleitner: Nighttrail
*Lens Kühleitner: Circle