The Syncopators

Five enigmatic, octopus-like, technoid creatures suddenly appear on the Düsseldorf Schadowplatz: Inspired by jazz dance and speculative future fiction, Norwegian choreographer Ingri Fiksdal, together with visual artist, stage, and costume designer Fredrik Floen and dancer Mariama Fatou Kalley Slåttøy, developed a poignant and expressive performance for public spaces. The artists probe the conceptional boundaries of dance as art with it, broaching the problematic issue of its close connection to colonial history. With The Syncopators, they imagine how (human) bodies might look in the future. The piece inspires contemplation about the meaning of encountering something that is different.

The title is derived from the term syncope which denotes the deviation from a rhythmic pattern in music or dance. In the same way, the performance interrupts the mundane, usual flow at a certain square within the city. Additionally, the title alludes to typical naming conventions for science fiction films that have been inscribed into our cultural memory.

A fleeting community of interested audiences and spontaneous passers-by takes shape during the performance. The Syncopators is an invitation to everyone to share time and space.

Duration: 60 min.