Dark Fog Rebel | an extra note on collaboration within Netzwerk AKS

This is a note about the way I see my collaboration with artistic director Andrea K. Schlehwein in relation to the production Dark Fog Rebel and some insights about Netzwerk AKS philosophy.

To start with, I could very easily say that - besides all agreements carefully written on contracts, non-stop exchange in person during the summer and on-line, during the time of Andrea’s work and stay in Korea - the most important thing for me is that through the numerous Netzwerk AKS productions I had the pleasure to participate as a dancer, Andrea and me have developed some artistic communication and trust, which I consider on-going and not limited only to this particular project. I see "Dark Fog Rebel" as part of a bigger world Andrea has created over the years. This bigger world is what continually nurtures and supports all creative attempts of Netzwerk AKS members.

The new role and responsibility to stage the new NETZWERK AKS production that was handed to me by AKS, is an honor and I am grateful for the trust and opportunity to further develop interests that kept growing inside previous productions of Netzwerk AKS. The ideas of this new project, are ideas that developed through exchange, not only this summer, but over years of collaboration, which I see as a slow cooking process that has been transformative.

The beauty of working at Netzwerk AKS in the past years, is also the chance to develop oneself and interests by taking on different roles and responsibilities. In this way the members gather new skills to support the collective work in the long term future.

I feel, the care for each individual member and the thought about sustainability of Netzwerk AKS as a whole organization is part of the Andrea's broad vision which becomes more and more visible, also by the choice to spread responsibilities differently among the members. Such are the visions which keep teams alive and the work inspiring.

Andrea, as an artistic director, is somebody who tries to carry these visions through the many risks they entail – it is not a piece of cake to hand over responsibility of something you carefully nurtured over time-. Yet this is the kind of artistic choice that shows a good artistic director. The ability to offer the space.

This is also the choice that, at the end of the day, can tell whether an artistic vision is strong and communicates to others, no matter if the director is physically present or not.

What I hope to be able to carry through the staging of this new production, is also the sense I get from Andrea’s direction over the years > to sustain a good fertile ground, to trust and to find freedom within the many layers and complexities of a very demanding work.