CRASH

In this choreography, Zöllig demonstrates his mastery. He tells stories, makes accusations, provokes thought, portrays extreme situations, and takes a political stance. The new Bielefeld dance theater director creates oppressive scenarios alongside hopeful moments of lightness. His language is clear, his vocabulary accessible. No surprise, then, that the audience erupted in well-deserved enthusiasm at the end.

In the premiere, Gregor Zöllig introduced a dance ensemble that impressed with ensemble scenes of classical balance and subtle expressiveness, as well as with athletically charged duets, rich configurations of movement, and a remarkable versatility in contrasting performances. He tells "stories through movement" in his choreography but does not make it easy for the audience. [...] Nevertheless, the audience was absolutely thrilled.

The dancers on stage twist, rise, collapse spectacularly, and try again. To ethereal sounds, the fear of the unknown rises. Dance can hardly be more intense. Pairs come together, then drift apart again, while others rebuild parts of the protective wall—only for it to collapse once more. This is contemporary, compelling dance theater without affected embellishments—rich in imagery and gripping.

What Zöllig and his ten-member ensemble present at the opening of the 360° theater festival at Theaterlabor is deeply moving and gets under the skin. [...] They do not rely solely on the expressive power of body language but employ the full spectrum of stage-based performance forms: speech, singing, acting, and video projections blend seamlessly to create a cohesive Gesamtkunstwerk.