Before I die installation was finally performed last 21, 22 and 23 July 2016 with all tickets sold and all energy raising to its highest point.

All type of people from all generations came to our performance. Long queues stood in the entrance until we could open the doors. Most were surprised when they saw our installation set up, but accepted it with interest.

The show started with the personal journey of the public. Despite their age or condition, they all made it with agility and commitment. Some were moving around to find the best point of view of the story Others saw it with perspective from the distance. Their face expressions showed their excitement and interest in the adventure. Sometimes they didn’t have a clue where to go or what would happen after…this was our goal, that it resembled to refugee’s experience in their journey.

In the Saal they could enjoy the dancer’s performance in both western and eastern sides. Steffi Fischer (Schweiz), Nora Paneva (Bulgarien) and Bogdan Muresan (Rumänien) presented a structured and organized side of the world where everything seem to work but sensitiveness is being softened by too much processes and stressing systems.

In the other side Tomas Duras (Slowakei), Elizabeth Towles (USA) and Jason Franklin (USA) show us feelings through their organic choreography. Ziya Aktas (Türkei), in the middle links both areas with street dance touches in his performance.

Public followed all the story choreographed by Pablo Sansalvador with attention.

Some were surprised by the refugee’s song in the balcony and others showed enthusiasm when refugees arrived to collect the dancer’s bodies.

The ones that looked the performance from the distance could enjoy Andreas Hauslaib’s projections while the music from Andreas Usenbenz was enriching the scenes and public’s ears.

When they reached the last floor where the story installation was, people could get closer to the refugees while hearing there stories, one of our main goals.

At the end of the journey the public applauded with enthusiasm dancer“s and refugee’s performance. Some also took part in our after party where public, dancers, refugees and staff had the chance to dance together and know each other. We definitively feel that we fulfilled our goal of closing the gap between refugees and Ulmer people.

Reviews:

SWP (Kritik) 07/23/2016

Augsburger Allgemeine

SWP 05/25/2016

SWP 05/19/2016

SWP 01/19/2016

SWP 12.18.2015

Below you can find more images from the performance taken by Nik Schoelzel and Claudia Richter.

Claudia Richter’s gallery