The Children of Today
Charles A. Washington/ Pinkmetalpetal Productions
Please Note: Because of the public transport strike on the 02.02 tickets bought for “The Children of Today” on this day can be switched to Thursday 01.02. or Saturday 03.03. via email to: tickets@hellerau.org.
Dresden-based dancer and choreographer, Charles A. Washington, invites you to experience his latest performance, “The Children of Today.” Set in a kitchen in the future, the characters contemplate revisiting the past to catalyse change. Their goal is to leave capitalism behind though revealing what is so addictive about it. The characters bring to life an imaginary moment in time where they open doors, beckoning the public who exist in the present to step forward into a non-capitalistic world.
At the centre of this science fiction-inspired journey is a performative duet that embodies famous personalities such as the dancer Vaslav Nijinsky, the Egyptian pharaoh Cleopatra VI and the dancer and choreographer Jérôme Bel, transcending the boundaries of time. Through simple yet repetitive movements, fantastic compositions unfold, leading to absurd and touching situations that ignite the imagination and challenge preconceived notions about our capitalist reality.
By using only renewable resources such as energy for simple lighting and sound, second-hand clothing and organic materials, “The Children of Today” encourages people to take a step into a world where creativity and sustainability are connected.
Duration: ca. 1 h
Language: English
An audience discussion will take place following the 01.02. performance. Luis Schwarzenberger (Konglomerat e.V, FOR:UM Initiative, Materialvermittlung Zündstoffe), Bruno Grotsch (Nytt Materialdepot) and Johanna Schründer (Costume designer for „The Children of Today“) will be participating as guest speakers.
As part of the dance performance, Pinkmetalpetal would like to draw attention to collectives, work groups and organizations active in Dresden and share this information with you – the audience – in order to become active as citizens in sustainable practical or theoretical processes. You can find this information in the following PDF:
During the event sensory stimuli might be triggered through moments of darkness and strobe light effects through the use of a flashlight.
Charles A. Washington trained as a dancer at the Rambert School London. After graduating he worked nationally and internationally with renowned choreographers such as Ross Mckim, Fleur Darkin, Will Tucket, Lucy Burge, Cesc Gelabert, Jan Pauch, Yossi Berg & Oded Graf, Katrin Hall, Roy Assaf, Darren Ellis, Maxim Didenko and Vladimir Varnava. Charles founded his freelance dance company Pinkmetalpetal Productions in 2012 and has created several full-length ensemble pieces and solo pieces. His work has been shown in theaters such as HELLERAU – European Center for the Arts, Dresden, Projekttheater Dresden, ACUD Theater Berlin and LOT Theater Braunschweig.
In his artistic research, he is interested in somatic movement practices as a means of expressing compositional narratives. In 2018, he completed his MA in Choreography at the Palucca Hochschule für Tanz Dresden, where he completed a two-year master class entitled “We are all a subculture?” in 2021.
Ioli Kaskani (2000) is a dancer- performer from Cyprus. She trained in London and Berlin and she is currently based in Nicosia working as a freelance dance artist. Some of the artists she has worked with are Marcos Morau Dukowshka, Charles Washington, Eva Papavasileiou, Diego de la Rosa, Annie Khouri, Vicky Kalla and Panayiotis Tofi. In 2022 she was a resident artist at Dance House Nicosia where she is currently doing another residency, working with the mentor Mary Nunan.
Johanna Schründer has been studying costume design at the Hochschle für Bildende Kunst Dresden since 2019 and is currently spending a guest semester at the Kunstuniversität Linz in the study program Fashion & Technology. In her work she focuses on ecologically sustainable costume design and how this can be incorporated into the creative process from the beginning on. She works with upcycled second-hand clothing as well as with self-made organic materials such as kombucha leather.
Alphonsine Koh, a DJ, producer, and Visual Artist originally from Singapore, is currently based in Dresden. Her artistic journey unfolded through extensive studies at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (SG), specializing in Fine Arts and Art education.In the past two years in Dresden, she has become an integral part of the local music and artistic scene, collaborating with dancers, choreographers, and musicians, contributing her creative expertise to various projects and performances.
Alba T Álvarez is a multidisciplinary artist, dancer and producer currently working between Brussels and Dresden. She studied Dance at the Palucca Hochschule für Tanz and subsequently worked as a freelance dancer, mainly in Dresden. Apart from working on her own artistic practice which comprehends the body as central medium while working with other disciplines around it, she slides in between being a producer and dramaturge, all being fundamentally concerned with the dialogue between different art forms.
Concept, Choreography, Performance, Music: Charles A. Washington
Choreography, Performance: Ioli Kaskani
Costume, Bio-Material: Johanna Schründer
Technology, Lightdesign: Kristin Feldmann
Foto, Video: Alphonsine Koh
Production, Outside Eye: Alba T Álvarez
A coproduction of Charles A Washington/Pinkmetalpetal Productions and HELLERAU – Europäisches Zentrm der Künste
