Dust Devil

<p>Dust Devil is a type of a light whirling wind; a natural phenomenon that in some cultures it is also associated with the spirits of the dead.</p> <p>Dust Devil, light whirling wind forms in the condition of extreme hot air near the surface rises up and when the cooler air is sucked in.  The Navajo refer it return of dead Navajo. It is said to be a good spirit; if it spins counterclockwise, it is said to be a bad spirit. It is also called a dancing devil that descend from the sky and captures the young being and abducts her by taking the form of a whirling wind.</p>

How could all these images and myths as well as natural phenomenon arise from dancers bodies and regenerate in a physical and musical way?

Alkis examines a weather phenomenon from different perspectives, brings visibility and readability to air.  With the voice score of Rafael Nassif,  movement and sound merge to one another and creates visual and acoustic landscape.  It is a sequence of moments in very different intensities: Images and sounds, silence and movement arise from and with the dancers’ bodies. They are at the same time wind and leaves, storm showers and wood creaking, roaring waves, howling spirits and cloud machines. They breathe, blow, suck, roar, sing and dance the natural phenomena.

Dust Devil is an exercise to imagine “dance” not only as a kinesthetic experience but also a visual, musical landscape, sculpture and picturesque art forms.

 

Duration: 45 min.

 

 

Concept, Project Direction, Choreography: Özlem Alkis

in Collaboration with(dancers): Jennifer Döring, Susanne Schneider, Karoline Strys

Musical Concept/Musical Direction: Rafael Nassif

Mentor: Katarina Kleinschmidt

“Dust Devil” is premiered in the frame of Borderlands Project of NovaTanz.

 
supported by: Kulturamt der Stadt Köln, Kunststiftung NRW, Ministerium für Familie, Kinder, Jugend, Kultur und Sport des Landes Nordrhein Westfalen, Tanzfaktur
Dust Devil research process is supported by: SK Stiftung Kultur, European Network-Studiotrade, Sprungbrett – tanz nrw ’15, Akademie der Künste Berlin