Reflecting Presence Rethinking Future

‘traces’ leads the audience into a story which not only questions the connection between people and the land but actively places the audience within. It invites the audience for a stroll along interactive and performative stations through a landscape of wonder.

Tracing the landscape, the performance organically intertwines with the forest. Using tree-climbing techniques, merging them with elements of contemporary dance and circus, the forest and the trees become embodied parts of the choreography. Having the flora, fauna and its climate as the co-creators and agonists of the play, participants become creators, stage, scenography and the play itself at once, as equals, and all together.

No culture was, is and will be in a continuous, equilateral, positive harmony with the other forms of living and non-living beings. It seems to be an ongoing learning process, in which the circle of life of both human and non-human must first be recognised and then respected. By offering a space to physically experience the democratisation between human and non-human, by creating a narrative full of connectivity, subtle fragility, humour and care, ‘traces’ aims to be part of this learning process.

‘IHOPEIWILL’ touches on our collective future against the backdrop of current political tensions and the deepening climate crisis. It conveys a sense of expectation and hope despite the globally prevailing feelings of fear and great uncertainty.

‘IHOPEIWILL’ is an event that connects physical performance, sound design and visual installation. Each of these media works independently one next to the other and at the same time in synergy, which together create an organic whole.

The inspiration for the creation came from conversations with people that focused on the optics of personal family environment and relationships across generations. It raises several questions: What do we envision for the future, not only for ourselves, but for the generations after us? What kind of world do we want for them and what can we do to fulfil those wishes?

‘IHOPEIWILL’ thus becomes an artistic reflection of the current trajectory of society and our responsibility towards future generations.