Reut Shemesh
School performances:
Tickets can be requested via the inquiry button/reservation form. School performances are particularly suitable for schools, but also for daycare centers, kindergartens and other care, educational and leisure facilities. 4 € per child/teenager, accompanying persons have free admission. Additional bookings of a workshop in connection with the school performance are possible for additional 2 € per person.
Finding one’s own way, one’s own stance, but not being isolated in this: A tightrope walk. What happens if you dedicate yourself to a group? And how does the feeling of community express itself in positioning, dress codes, and rituals? Reut Shemesh and five professional dancers between 25 and 55 years of age reflected on their own growing up and observed the self-discovery processes of young people. The need to belong, and group dynamics in youth communities are often in tension with one another. Which identities are gained by uniforms, symbols, behaviour, and rituals? How much influence is claimed by social class?
ESTHER shows how young people try to find an equilibrium between conformity and individuality. During the research phase, Reut Shemesh involved the project’s target audience, working with youths in Dresden, Munich, Hamburg, and Potsdam.
Reut Shemesh, born and raised in Israel, works with contemporary dance, experimental film, and photography. Her work frequently deals with the topic of uniforms in different contexts. The pieces tour internationally. Reut Shemesh has been connected to tanzhaus nrw through a tight and continuous collaboration – she was a Factory Artist at the House from 2020 until 2022. Reut Shemesh studied at ArtEZ Institute of the Arts in Arnhem (NL) and subsequently at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne/ KHM (GER).
Duration: 60 minutes
Concept & choreography: Reut Shemesh; dance and co-choreography: Juliana Oliveira, Kelvin Kilonzo, Mihyun Ko, Brit Rodemund, Enis Turan; lighting and stage design: Ronni Shendar; costume design: Marie Siekmann; music: Micha Kaplan; choreographic assistance: Katja Pire; photos: Jonas Zeidler.
ESTHER is a joint production by fabrik moves Potsdam and Reut Shemesh, in co-production with K3 | Tanzplan Hamburg, Fokus Tanz | Tanz und Schule e.V. München and HELLERAU - European Centre of Arts Dresden as part of the cooperation explore dance - Netzwerk Tanz für junges Publikum. Funded by the Jupiter - Performing Arts for Young Audiences programme of the German Federal Cultural Foundation. Funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media. The network explore dance is supported by the Art Mentor Foundation Lucerne.
ESTHER takes place on Thu 08 May as part of tanz nrw 2025. The school performance on Fri 09 May is funded by take off: Junger Tanz.
Reservation inquiry for school performances
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TitleESTHER – a dance piece about Youth & Uniforms
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ArtistReut Shemesh
