Jonathan Kolski

pictures: Joana Lucas

Publication to accident contrôlé: variation on rotation, a dialog between Jo Kolski and dramaturg and scholar Jonas Rutgeerts

Out of the Box #2

2 and 3 October 2022, 6 pm – 8 pm Zönotéka | Hobrechtstraße 54, 12047 Berlin | free admission

In the dance-theater piece sp( ! )n – accident contrôlé, Jo Kolski explores
the tension between the zen practice of the “controlled accident” and the
western idea of utilitarianism, in the context of the amusement industry. accident contrôlé: variation on rotation is an adaptation of the piece, created for Out of the Box. It focuses on the interaction of the body with a useless machine: a rusty pantograph. Combining a fascination for geometrical patterns, industrial civilization and purposelessness, soft shapes and rough materials collide to create a poetic landscape.
accident contrôlé comprises two chapters of körpermaschine, Jo Kolski’s ongoing investigation and questioning of heritage – ruins? – of industrial society. “körpermaschinen” are kinetic sculptures, objects, and spaces
that set bodies in motion and create narratives. Science meets tinkering,
show culture meets social critique. By inserting playfulness into objects
and areas associated with work, Jo Kolski deconstructs the seriousness
of functionality.

Choreography, objects, performance: JO KOLSKI
Interaction design and visuals: BARIŞ PEKCAGLIYAN
Dramaturgy and choreographic assistant: BERNARDO DE ALMEIDA
Sound: ANTUANTU
Mentor: JONAS RUTGEERTS

The experimental performance project Out of the Box, organized by MMpraxis and CAA Berlin, provides a platform for Berlin-based emerging choreographers to adapt existing stage works to a gallery space. After having been selected through an open call, the second part of Out of the Box will present works by choreographers Robert Ssempijja and Jo Kolski. Zönotéka, the gallery hosting this iteration of the project, will be open to the artists for a week of rehearsals before presenting their work to the public. In addition, the artists are invited to receive support from a mentor of their choice.

Organized by MMpraxis and CAA Berlin in collaboration with Zönotéka. Supported by the NATIONAL PERFORMANCE NETWORK – STEPPING OUT, funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media within the framework of the initiative NEUSTART KULTUR.

Uferstudios, Berlin, July 1 and 2, 2022

«Work hard, play hard» the frenzy of modern life has obscured the line between playfulness and seriousness. Where have we left our joy for pure play? Maybe in the ruins of an amusement park, for example at the Spreepark. There, the Communist Party had to buy carousels from capitalist companies to bring joy to its citizens – a recognition that amusement is more “universal” than politics or space conquest? Later surrendered to free economy, the Park ended up in ruins.

Inspired by the glory and failures of amusement cultures and carrousel engineering,sp(!)n celebrates the possibility of a pure purposelessness, without ignoring the threat of creeping utilitarianism.

Choreography, Stagedesign, Videodesign : Jo Kolski

Performance: Lito Anastasopoulou, Ángel Fontaneda, Pamela Moraga, Jo Kolski

Music: Antuantu

Dramaturgy: Bernardo de Almeida

Light design: Andreas Harder

Mentor: Sergiu Matis

Construction and video mentors: Ingo Mewes, Isabel Robson, Julian Jungel

Pictures by Alicja Hoppel:

1 2 3 ►

https://www.udk-berlin.de/veranstaltung/jonathan-kolski-spn-accident-controle/

Concept, camera, editing: tian baumly

Choreography, performance: jo kolski

Performance for the opening of the land(schafft)kunst biennale 2021

With Laura Faiß

For most present and past human cultures, celebrations of both life and death involve forms of collective practice of dance and music.  The Western civilization has been known to let these “village” practices fade away as it transitioned to modernity and urbanity. Dancers, musicians and party-goers have been more and more specialized, and therefore, separated.

“Fête” is a playful invitation to stimulate the rituality of our dancing. In a space without a stage, audience and performers mingle, forming, for the most part, a collective circle (or several concentric circles, depending on the size of the space/the amount of people).

Besides traditional rituals, the circle is also to be found nowadays in our modern dance cultures in the shape of “jams” or “battles”. The circle proposed by “Fête” is not quite a jam or a battle, because of the choreographic input shaped by the performers: The performers are at the same time Master of ceremony, Shamans, Storyteller and Instructors. “Fête” acts as a modular storytelling system – its drama is not told by the sole performers, but by the ensemble of performers and audience.