07.05.2026
Protest Under Pressure
Open Studio · Film · Discourse
by Zeitgenössischer Tanz Berlin (ZTB)
In the frame of RESIST!: Assembly
by Zeitgenössischer Tanz Berlin (ZTB)
In the frame of RESIST!: Assembly
Venue:
Uferstudios 5
Badstr. 41A
Uferstr. 23
13357 Berlin
Badstr. 41A
Uferstr. 23
13357 Berlin
Tickets:
Free entry. First come, first served.
Duration:
approx. 120 Min
Dates:
Description
In collaboration with Zeitgenössischer Tanz Berlin e.V. and external guests, the project RESIST! hosts weekly “Assemblies” from March 5 to May 7: every Thursday evening** from 5–7 pm, everyone interested is invited to gather at Uferstudio 5.
The Assembly on 7 May will be hosted by the Decolonise / Dance Working Group: The working group actively addresses the various political crises and conflicts in Palestine and Israel. It also deals with the effects of these conflicts on the political climate in Germany, which it classifies as increasingly authoritarian. The group collects educational resources and organises reading groups, workshops and other learning formats to inform artists about the current political climate in Germany with regard to Israel/Palestine.
With the format of the “Assemblies,” we aim to offer the independent scene space and time for broader cultural and political exchange. While digital connections tend to encourage fast, largely anonymous and individualized expressions of opinion, we choose to invest in real social cohesion. Through the “Assemblies,” we create a solidaric setting in which reflection and discussion can take place live and on site. Together, we want to explore how we can sustainably defend artistic freedom — in the face of current cuts to cultural funding and the normalization of right-wing positions within wider society.
During each assembly, the Freelance Dance Ensemble Berlin will give a 10-15 minute presentation calling on all dance and cultural professionals to make their changed realities visible. More information here.
Official announcement text of the AG Decolonize / Dance:
„Decolonize / Dance is a working group founded in 2024 to oppose repressive developments in Germany in the context of Palestine / Israel. As dance artists, we condemn the genocide in Gaza and critically reflect on how the dance field in Berlin has changed during this time.
For this assembly we invite the film documentary Protest Under Pressure by Elena Avolio, Noa Élie Monaé and Nora Weise – all of them students at the Freie Universität Berlin. The film starts with the brutal eviction in May 2024 of the protest camp organized by students of the Freie Universität Berlin against the genocide in Gaza. The film depicts the events that followed, including different media smear campaigns, threats and legal consequences and interference with academic freedom. The voices of students, activists, professors, legal experts and journalists discuss the responsibility of the university, the media and the police, questioning political and judiciary actions.“
The screening of the film will be followed by an open discussion.
Length of the film: 80 mins.
Language: German & English with subtitles.
*Zeitgenössischer Tanz Berlin e.V. (Contemporary Dance Berlin Association)
The Assembly on 7 May will be hosted by the Decolonise / Dance Working Group: The working group actively addresses the various political crises and conflicts in Palestine and Israel. It also deals with the effects of these conflicts on the political climate in Germany, which it classifies as increasingly authoritarian. The group collects educational resources and organises reading groups, workshops and other learning formats to inform artists about the current political climate in Germany with regard to Israel/Palestine.
With the format of the “Assemblies,” we aim to offer the independent scene space and time for broader cultural and political exchange. While digital connections tend to encourage fast, largely anonymous and individualized expressions of opinion, we choose to invest in real social cohesion. Through the “Assemblies,” we create a solidaric setting in which reflection and discussion can take place live and on site. Together, we want to explore how we can sustainably defend artistic freedom — in the face of current cuts to cultural funding and the normalization of right-wing positions within wider society.
During each assembly, the Freelance Dance Ensemble Berlin will give a 10-15 minute presentation calling on all dance and cultural professionals to make their changed realities visible. More information here.
Official announcement text of the AG Decolonize / Dance:
„Decolonize / Dance is a working group founded in 2024 to oppose repressive developments in Germany in the context of Palestine / Israel. As dance artists, we condemn the genocide in Gaza and critically reflect on how the dance field in Berlin has changed during this time.
For this assembly we invite the film documentary Protest Under Pressure by Elena Avolio, Noa Élie Monaé and Nora Weise – all of them students at the Freie Universität Berlin. The film starts with the brutal eviction in May 2024 of the protest camp organized by students of the Freie Universität Berlin against the genocide in Gaza. The film depicts the events that followed, including different media smear campaigns, threats and legal consequences and interference with academic freedom. The voices of students, activists, professors, legal experts and journalists discuss the responsibility of the university, the media and the police, questioning political and judiciary actions.“
The screening of the film will be followed by an open discussion.
Length of the film: 80 mins.
Language: German & English with subtitles.
*Zeitgenössischer Tanz Berlin e.V. (Contemporary Dance Berlin Association)
**except during the Easter holidays
Accessibility, Content Note & Sensory Stimulations
Studio 5 is accessible without steps, but has a raised wooden floor which can be reached via a 1.5% inclined ramp. Wheelchair spaces are available.
The barrier-free toilet is located in the foyer of the studio, a few meters from the studio.
The barrier-free toilet is located in the foyer of the studio, a few meters from the studio.
If you have any further questions about the access requirements for this performance, please contact: access@tanzfabrik-berlin.de
Further information on accessibility can be found on our website: https://www.tanzfabrik-berlin.de/en/barrierefreiheit#
The event take splace in spoken English and German language. The documentary depicts violence and centers around controversial political topics.
Further information on accessibility can be found on our website: https://www.tanzfabrik-berlin.de/en/barrierefreiheit#
The event take splace in spoken English and German language. The documentary depicts violence and centers around controversial political topics.
Credits
With: Protest Under Pressure film, directors: Elena Avolio, Noa Élie Monaé and Nora Weise. Moderated by Arantxa Martínez, Daniel Belasco Rogers, Ana Laura Lozza and ZTB.
The project RESIST! is funded by the Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt as part of the programme “Residenzförderung Tanz 2025–2027”.
The project RESIST! is funded by the Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt as part of the programme “Residenzförderung Tanz 2025–2027”.
Biographies
Zeitgenössischer Tanz Berlin (ZTB)
The Zeitgenössischer Tanz Berlin (ZTB) association has represented the interests of practitioners in dance, choreography, and performance in Berlin since 2000. Its aim is to create fair and productive conditions for the art form of dance and to promote transparent and equitable communication between artists, policymakers, and the public. Since 2017, ZTB has explicitly positioned itself as an open platform embracing the diversity of contemporary choreographic and performative practices.