My fascination lies in the observation of intra-human relating beyond words and socio-cultural conventions. I am always wondering if communication is actually possible, and if dancing might be a way.
In my artistic practice I work a lot with Improvisation, as it seems to me to be the 'the technique of life', for all our technical tools and skills are useless if we can't spontaneously apply and use them to our advantage in a given situation or context.
This investigation is also reflected in my specialization in Argentine Tango, whose improvisation-technique allows an incredible subtle yet very precise communication between the partners; also, the reflections on gender, roles and identity that the observation of its physical mechanisms allow, keep me fascinated.
This has led me to numerous intercultural and interdisciplinary cooperations, always investigating the interactions of two different parts (interactions of bodies from different cultures, movement and sound, movement and visual arts...), as I see the friction created by differences as an incredible source of potential and innovation.
BODY OF WORK
I worked as a performer for different international companies between 2009 and 2012.
In 2009 I founded with Cecilia Loffredo the Cia. Quiero Ser Agua, whose six productions we performed in Europe and Latin America.
Working under my own name since 2015, I create interdisciplinary productions with musicians, visual artists and actors (and fellow dancers of course).
In 2014 I worked on two short pieces merging Tango and contemporary dance: SKINHUNGER, fully choreographed and with a male partner and MANTIS, fully based on improvisation with my female partner Cecilia Loffredo.
Followed by BEZIRZUNGEN/CIRCATIONS, a cooperation with the Museum Villa Stuck including live music, short-film screenings, acting and dancing, commissioned by the city of Munich, in 2015.
In 2016, i premiered my second evening filling production: LANDSCAPES OF MY INNER DIASPORA, about the fragmentation of identity due to life experience in different cultures, with live music by cello soloist Ana Topalovic and videomapping.
In the same year, I created PLAYGROUND, a Solo-work, as artist in Residence of the city of Klagenfurt, Austria, about the sedimentation of dance techniques as a an embodied biographical register (2016) and TERRITORIO ( ) CUERPO ( ) MEMORIA, a cooperation with long-term Partner Cecilia Loffredo and the Russian born painter Olga Wiedenhöft about body memory and the relation of language and the female body-image.
2017 brought two cooperation with the visual arts: REMEMBERING THE FORGOTTEN, a Solo commissioned for the Werner Berg Museum in Carintia, Austria, and a series of Instant Performances for the Exhibitions of Julia Schewalie, Thomas Breitenfeld and Simon James at the Art Gallery Anne Uhrland in Munich, Germany.
In 2018 I came back to the format of duos: COMMON GROUND, with Chris-Pascal Englund-Braun, a commission of the Gesellschaft für Neue Musik to pieces of 4 contemporary music composers, and EBONY & IVORY, with the deaf dancer and actress Kassandra Wedel, questioning the (im)possibility of intra-human communication and understanding, merging dance and sign language.
In 2019 I was commissioned two site-specific creations: WANDERLUST for the Cathedral in Linz/Austria, and and BECOMING for the Memorial space of The “Weiße Rose” (a student resistance group under the Hitler Regime) in the historical entrance Hall of the Munich University.
I also ran a research-project in collaboration with Argentinian Choreographer Rodrigo Pardo: ENTANGLEMENTS – comparing gender roles and cultural identity in argentine Tango and contemporary dance techniques.
In the season 2020/21, I prepared the creation ASYMMETRICAL ENCOUNTERS, based on the Research-project ENTANGLEMENTS.
Later in the same year I created the site specific performance VISUAL VIBRATIONS, one more collaboration with deaf dancer Kassandra Wedel, merging sign language, contemporary dance and hiphop moves to techno beats and performed all over Munich city.
Also in 2021, I developed the Solo PINK LADY, merging contemporary floor work with argentine Tango on high heels, which is still touring through Europe and recently got the award for the best creation at the Festival Solocoreografico in Turin/Italy, a mention of honor at the Festival 10sentidos in Valencia/Spain and the second Price at Seoul International Dance Competition in Korea.
In 2022, Kassandra and me were encharged by the NSU Tribunal, a group of young political activists, to create a group performance for 500 people for the occasion of a demonstration commemorating the victims of right-wing violence - MANI-FEST.
Also this year, several RESEARCH projects are coming up:
TANZBIBLIOTHEK (@tanzbibliothet): a very personal library of movement material, made possible by GVL Stipendium;
CAPTURES / MOMENTAUFNAHMEN with photographer, architect and former dancer Paola Gallarato about the potentials of photographic documentation of dance in different architectural contexts, made possible by DIS-TANZEN SOLO;
MADAME PINA'S a pilote project for a dance archive in virtual reality, in collaboration with XR HUB Bavaria, funded by Stepping out.
PRICES I AWARDS I RESIDENCIES
2022
PINK LADY - Seoul international Dance Competition 2022, category 'Choreography / professionals' / Korea
PINK LADY - Award for the Best creation at Solocoreografico Festival Torino / IT
PINK LADY - Mention of honor by the Jury of the Festival 10sentidos Valencia / ES
2016
L'ENJEU - Solo created as Dancer in residency ('Stadttänzerin') of the City of Klagenfurt / AT
2013
THE DAY YOU WILL LOVE ME, MALENA - created in Residency at Centro de Espectaculos Figueira da Foz / PT
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
2021-2022
Postgraduate studies 'Curating in the performing Arts' University of Salzburg / Freie Universität Berlin
2009-2013
Master of Arts in contemporary Dance at the Anton Bruckner University in Linz, Austria
2009-2010
Postgraduate “Tendencias contemporáneas de la Danza” en el Instituto Universitario Nacional del Arte in Buenos Aires (Argentina)
2006-2009
Bachelor of Arts in contemporary dance and pedagogics at the Anton Bruckner University in Linz (Austria)
2003-2006
Student at the Vienese State Opera Ballet School (Austria)
1999-2003
Student at the Bavarian Ballet Academy in Munich, Germany (Heinz-Bosl-Stiftung)
Dances Argentine Tango since 2000
Experience in aerial dance (with harness)
Singing lessons from 2000-2003
Piano lessons from 1995-2003
Languages: German, French, Italian, Spanish, English (fluent); russian, portuguese, german sign language (basic level)
Experience in dubbing (German) and acting in the TV-Serie Familie Merian (1992).
CONTACT
Social Media
Instagram: @rosaliewanka (personal) - @_visual_vibrations (performance projects) - @tanzbibliothek (researchprojects)
Facebook: Rosalie Wanka (profile & site)