REVIEW: HERE AND NOW @ IMSÜDEN.AT by Stephanie Sihler / English translation

„HERE AND NOW“- NETZWERK AKS

Ein berührendes und zwischenzeitlich auch unangenehm groteskes Tanzstück im Stift Millstatt.

View the complete review here:
imsueden.at/here-and-now-netzwerk-aks/

English Translation

„HERE AND NOW“ - NETZWERK AKS

A touching and at times also painfully grotesque dance piece at Stift Millstatt.

„HERE AND NOW”: Experiencing oneself

NETZWERK AKS – under the artistic direction of Andrea K. Schlehwein – presents a straightforward confrontation with the latest events, asking the question how diverse identities can be juggled and harmonized and dealing with social exclusion and its brutal consequences. The artists collective manages to create a touching and at times also painfully grotesque dance piece with „HERE AND NOW“.

Making Sense, together.

Together with the dancers, the audience enters a quest for meaning. Nothing is „pre-digested“; the three-part dance piece challenges, provokes. The ensemble goes after the themes energetically, but at the same time with gentleness and sensitivity. The inaccessibility of the beginning is torn open little by little, sketched narratives emerge from the mainly abstract chaos. The multi-layered performance – each one of the nine dancers can be felt – seems almost improvised, however, each movement couldn't be more controlled.

Andrea and Guiseppe.

Verdi is „used“ for the soundtrack. His „La Forza del Destino“ is coupled up with Japanese Jazz and Pop and merges with the events on the dance floor. A sensual web of sound surrounds performers and audience.

Crossing borders.

There is no stage in the classic sense. It's just a black line that divides the ART SPACE audience from the dancing bodies. In the end these borders turn out to be unnecessary. The often insurmountable barrier between performance and audience space playfully blurs out. The audience is „taken“ literally. What remains is a room full of people and a space for talks and discussions.

„HERE AND NOW“ is multi-layered, but it is not simple, even if Andrea K. Schlehwein says in the video clip by B. Preuer (http://schickenhof-studios.com), that it investigates „simple questions“. You have to be able to engage. „HERE AND NOW“ asks for that; art asks for that.