Tanzfabrik
Berlin
School
School
School
School
Uferstudios 3
Badstr. 41A, Uferstr. 23
13357 Berlin
School
School

Gravity as Belonging (fully booked)

Performance-Projekt with Melissa Ugolini


“Place is security, space is freedom: we are attached to the one and long for the other. What begins as undifferentiated space becomes place as we get to know it better and endow it with value.” - Yi-Fu Tuan, Space and Place: The Perspective of Experience 
This performance project is an embodied exploration of the themes of belonging and not belonging, delving into the concept of identity in its multifaceted, diverse, and ever-evolving forms. How do we physically experience the landscapes we inhabit? Starting from the premise that our body itself is a landscape, I am eager to explore with you how we can recognize and access its archives, unfolding its organic heritage. The insights that emerge will serve as a foundation to observe how we interact with our surroundings and with one another, transforming the spaces we occupy into places rich with references to our individual and collective experiences. Incorporating methodologies ranging from movement research to mindfulness practices, this journey will be a time for meaningful exchange, openness, and growth. Movement will act as our shared language, fostering connections and serving as a tool to explore topics together. Through this process, we aim to achieve a deeper understanding of the identities embedded in our physicality. The project will culminate in a final session, where the process will be reflected and shared through a collaboratively developed format.

Additionally there is a  Contemporary class with Melissa Ugolini from 19.02.–02.04.2025 | Mon & Wed 18:15-19:45
The class starts with a guided physical warm up. It consists of repetitive patterns and accessible improvisational tools related to our body anatomy, allowing us to check-in with our physicality and to heighten our perceptions and responsiveness. We will continue to apply this state of presence throughout the class onto set movement sequences as well, as frames in which participants are encouraged to keep their ongoing exploration on authentic movement qualities and energies, with a particular focus on coordination, responsiveness and musicality. 

Melissa Ugolini

Originally from Pesaro, Italy, Melissa’s artistic journey has been shaped by diverse cultural influences. After graduating from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance (UK) in 2011, she worked and lived in Istanbul (2012–2017), where she developed a critical perspective on the global socio-political landscape. As a freelance dancer and rehearsal director, she has worked internationally with artists and companies such as Aakash Odedra (UK/IN), Cie7273 (CH), Art of Spectra (SE) and the Akram Khan Company (UK). Her movement practice is informed by these collaborations together with a vivid interest in the interdependence of body & mind, and has been shared through workshops across Europe, Turkey, India, and Iran. Since 2020, she has been based in Germany, working with Falk Richter and Anouk Van Dijk at Münchener Kammerspiele and engages in current research with fellow artists like Gizem Aksu (TR/DE), Rosana Ribeiro | Selva (AT), and TingAn Ying (TW). Melissa currently divides her time between Berlin and Frankfurt, where she is pursuing an MA in Contemporary Dance Education.
Level: with movement experience
Showing: 02.04.2025 / 21:00
English
Fee: 210 € / red.: 190 € / professional dancers: 170 €
Combi price with the contemporary class before the project: 290€ / red.: 270€ / professional dancers: 250€
Registration: schule@tanzfabrik-berlin.de
Phone 030.786 58 61