Tanzfabrik
Berlin
Stage
Stage

04.04.2024—07.04.2024

SWAY

Performance · Premiere
by Tatiana Mejía
In the frame of :Love:
Tickets
Photo: Boris Seewald
Venue:
Radialsystem
Dates:
Info:
Duration: 70 minutes
Pay what you can (10€/15€/20€/25€)

Description

Trailer of the performance (youtube)

Swinging, oscillating, swaying – we follow the emergence of movements. Bear witness to manifestations of change. Between the heroine as protagonist and the loser as antagonist. In her solo dance performance «SWAY», the choreographer and performer Tatiana Mejía examines socially established, normative associations and sets out to revive the intrinsic value of failure. Taking historical systems of oppression as a starting point, the performance deals with the Superwoman Syndrome and confronts the mainstream archetype of the strong Black woman. In a dynamic interplay of dance, live video projection and sound, Mejía explores different levels of self-perception and prejudice. At the intersection of Western “contemporary” and Afro-diasporic movement language and music, “SWAY” explores the fragile balance between strength, failure, and uncompromising self-assertion.

:LOVE:
Tanzfabrik Berlin and Radialsystem have presented two artists to a broad audience on the stages of Radialsystem every spring since 2019. The collaboration aims to improve the labor and presentation conditions of dance professionals in Berlin beyond their individual institutional contexts. In addition to the visibility of this joint platform, an important moment of nexus between local and international artists and scenes is achieved. Both institutions provide equal support to the artists in the forms of co-production resources, rehearsal spaces and public relations work.

05.04. Artist Talk
06.04. Audiodescription and Haptic Tour

Accessibility
The performance lasts 70 minutes and takes place at the Radialsystem in German, English and Spanish. There will be German and English subtitles.
 
Content Note
Loud music is used, sometimes causing the seats and stands to vibrate. Strobe lights and flickering lights are also used in places.

The event spaces of the Radialsystem are accessible and barrier-free, with the exception of the deck. In the entrance area, there is a barrier-free toilet and there are 2 disabled parking spaces. Please register your visit in advance.

On 06.04. there will be an Audio Description (provided by Swantje Henke) and tactile tour - so-called Haptic Access Tour (19:00) for blind or visually impaired audiences.

Audio descriptions take place parallel to the respective performances. A professional speaker describes visual details such as movement, gestures, facial expressions, scenery, costumes and props. The audio descriptions are usually live audio tracks that are transmitted to the audience via a wireless headphone system.

Haptic Access Tours take place before the performance. The live tours allow visitors to experience the space, the performers, the costumes and props as well as the most important movement elements of a performance through touch and their own movement.

To register for Audio Description and the Haptic Access Tour or for further questions regarding the access requirements for this performance, please contact: 
Phone: 030-200 592 70
Credits
Artistic direction, Performance: Tatiana Mejía
Dramaturgy: Elisabeth Leopold
Outside Eye, Set Design: Cécile Bally
Music: Ale Hop
Video Mapping: Kalma
Video Animation: Boris Seewald
Light Design: Leo G. Alonso
Costume: Anna Mirkin
Audiodescription: Swantje Henke
Production: Jon Kiriac
Production assistance & community outreach: Céline Rodrigues Monteiro
Outside Ear: Gerald Pirner

A production by Tatiana Mejía in co-production with Radialsystem and Tanzfabrik Berlin.

Funded by the Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion. With the kind support of the Fonds Darstellende Künste with funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media as part of NEUSTART KULTUR.
Biographies

Tatiana Mejía

Tatiana Mejía (she/her) is a dancer and choreographer from the Dominican Republic living in Berlin. Her artistic practice interlaces Afro-diasporic and contemporary dance with music through a decolonial lens. She approaches movement and sound as living archives of memory, resistance, and transformation, where body, voice, and media intertwine. By navigating embodied actions and confronting stereotypes and colonial narratives, her practice opens spaces for healing and reimagination. Her creations include “Kiskeya”, “Gagá”  and “Sway”.