Since her graduation at HF für Zeitgenössischen und Urbanen Bühnentanz in Zürich, Basel-based dancer Johanna Heusser (born in 1994) has been with different companies and choreographers around Switzerland. She further teaches dance and yoga internationally on a regular basis. Since 2016, she hass been creating her own works, which are shown at theaters and dance festivals around Europe. Johanna was the winner of Atelier Mondial in 2018 and of Double Tanz 2020 by Migros Cultural Percentage. With her first solo piece how to do a downward facing dog? she was chosen in the pre-selection of the Swiss dance Days 2021 and selected to be in one of eight Salon d Artistes. She is a semi-finalist of PREMIO Switzerland 2021 and graduated from the Master Expanded Theater at the Bern University of the Arts HKB. She worked at Schauspielhaus Vienna, choreographing the Piece COMA, and at Münchner Volkstheater, working as a choreographer for the Piece Alles ist aus, aber wir haben ja uns, directed by Bonn Park. Her latest work about Swiss wrestling was invited to the Swiss Theatre Days 2022. She was part of the ATLAS Programme at ImPulsTanz Vienna in 2022. Johanna was nominated for Best Emerging Artist by the Theater heute magazine survey 2022. She is a recipient of a multiple year grant by the Canton of Basel for her company for the years 2024–2026 and is currently working as a director for Zirkus Chnopf for the next production in 2024 in Zürich.
Sharing
Johanna Heusser
ABGESAGT: Sharing: Dr Churz, dr Schlungg und dr Böös
Due to an accident, the sharing of today, Friday, October 29, had to be cancelled.
Swiss wrestling ("schwingen") is considered the national sport and as such is closely linked to conservative, nationalistic and patriarchal values that are not unproblematic for a modern society. For Dr Churz, dr Schlungg und dr Böös – A Piece for and with Wrestlers, Johanna Heusser approaches Swiss wrestling with a mixture of fascination and skepticism. During her residency at Tanzhaus Zürich, she traces the performative potential inherent in the sport and negotiates images of the body and gender roles produced in the rituals of schwingen with two dancers. Can schwingen as a living tradition also be a projection surface for a critical counter-concept?
The work-in-progress sharing is followed by a short audience discussion.
Concept and choreography Johanna Heusser
Performance David Speiser, Stefan Schönholzer
Dramaturgy Fiona Schreier
Outside eyes Stephan Stock, Selina Beghetto
Costumes Diana Ammann
Stage, light design, sound Marc Vilanova
Video, light Robert Meyer
Production management Sarah Schoch
Scientific advisor Linus Schöpfer
Wrestling coach Stefan Aebi, Schwingclub Binningen
Mentor Bern University of the Arts HKB Regine Schaub Fritschi
Realisation Verein Landholz R
Residency partners Tanzhaus Zürich, Dampfzentrale Bern, Théâtre Sévelin 36
Coproduction ROXY Birfelden.
The piece is part of the Danse et Dramaturgie and PREMIO 2021 programmes.
Support Fachausschuss Tanz/Theater BS/BL, Pro Helvetia, Jaqueline Spengler Stiftung, BLKB Kantonalbank, SIS Stiftung, Parrotia Stiftung, Gwärtler Stiftung, Claire Sturzenegger Jeanfavre Stiftung, Stanley Thomas Johnson Stiftung
Photos Yoshiko Kusano
