We open our eyes when we are born and close them when we die. In the time in between, our eyelids open and close imperceptibly around 18,000 times a day. Life happens. So does ageing. With her new piece "Augen auf, Augen zu" (Eyes Open, Eyes Shut), dancer and choreographer Anna Till and her situation productions team focus on forms and themes of age and ageing. The interweaving of the perspectives of different generations and the view of ageing as an ongoing process are at the forefront. With the congenial cast of dancers Brit Rodemund and Simone Gisela Weber, questions about a person's life and topics relating to ageing are transformed into a poetic choreography of closeness.

Biography

Anna Till is a freelance choreographer and dancer. She studied dance, context and choreography at the HZT Berlin and applied cultural studies at the University of Lüneburg. With her dance company situation productions and in collaboration with various artists, she develops dance productions that have been performed in numerous cities in Europe and around the world. Her most recent works include "Swan Lake in Sneakers" (2023), a production for young people in collaboration with director Nora Otte, which was invited to the Tanzplattform Deutschland 2024 in Freiburg.

Cast & Credits

Artistic direction, choreographyAnna Till
Dance, choreographic collaborationBrit Rodemund, Simone Gisela Weber
Dramaturgy, text developmentNora Otte
Musical direction, soundJohannes Till
Stage and costume designKonstanze Grotkopp

Lighting design, video, technical 

management

Martin Mulik
TextUlrike Feibig
Production managementUlrike Melzwig
Social Media SupportJosefine Luka Simonsen
PhotosAdam Dreessen
Interview partners (audible) Julia Amme, Christina Ciupke, Katja Erfurth, Konstanze Grotkopp, Nora Otte, Josefine Luka Simonsen, Petra Steinert, Anna Till, Ursina Tossi
Further interview partners Nicole Dietze, Martin Mulik, Brit Rodemund, Irene Sieben, Johannes Till, Simone Gisela Weber, Jugendcompany fabrik Potsdam

The interviews were conducted as part of TANZPAKT in residence research. TANZPAKT in residence is a TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund project by villa/wigman and TanzNetzDresden. Many thanks to Ulrike Feibig for using the poem “Seit Jahren ein Sommer” (poetenladen Verlag) as the basis for individual choreographic elements.

Funding

A work by Anna Till/situation productions in co-production with HELLERAU - European Centre for the Arts, Dresden. Supported by the Cultural Foundation of the Free State of Saxony. This project is co-financed by tax funds on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament. Supported by the City of Dresden, Office for Culture and Monument Protection. Supported by fabrik Potsdam. Presented by the Ostsächsischen Sparkasse Dresden.