ERROR HUMANUM by Cecilia Moisio Premiere 14 June 2017, Kuopio, Finland
Error Humanum speaks of how failure doesn’t want to be admitted or displayed. Society teaches us to be survivors and winners, that only succeeding is a positive thing. We learn to hide our feelings, become individualists who never needs others. The survival techniques to cope with failure are unfamiliar to us. Can a seeming failure become a success by approaching it in a different way? Three strong performers manoeuvre at a speeding pace from one failure to the next: they are frustrated, desperate but also amusing. Error Humanum is an ode to our fear of failure and endless incompetence. Error Humanum is a contradiction between our actions and speech, hilarious determination and a fall into disgrace.
Concept, direction and choreography: Cecilia Moisio Performers: Sannamaria Kuula, Antti Lahti and Lasse Forsgren Texts: Cecilia Moisio, Sannamaria Kuula, Antti Lahti and Lasse Forsgren Music: Joni Vanhanen Light and video: Ainu Palmu Costumes and props: Ella Suuronen Decor: Jari Hautamäki Photography: Petra Tiihonen Trailer: Kim Saarinen Production: team and Itä-Suomen Tanssin Aluekeskus Funded by: Taiteen Edistämiskeskus, Suomen Kulttuurirahasto and Pohjois-Savon Rahasto
Mommy Issues, a theatre and dance piece choreographed for the Bytom-based company ROZBARK by Cecilia Moisio. The piece was produced in collaboration with the Institute of Music and Dance as part of the Choreographic Commissions 2016 programme.
Cecilia Moisio’s piece touches upon such issues as love, lies, dependence on parents and letting go of the past. The personal experience of performers starring in Mommy Issuesact as a starting point for Moisio’s story. The stage is filled with rooms in which male dancers interpret various behaviours, emotions and psychological patterns rooted in their family houses.
Mommy Issues is based on the concept of the Oedipus complex, introduced by psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud. This psychoanalytical notion implies a child desires a sexual relationship with a parent of the opposite sex, thus sparking a rivalry with the parent of the same sex as the child. According to the theory, the rivalry stage is vital for the proper development of boys and lays an important foundation for their interactions and relationships in adult life. The Oedipus complex is perceived as the apex of the individual’s drive for success and love.
With Mommy Issues Cecilia Moisio continues her inquiry into psychological patterns within the family structure. She began to work on this issue in 2015 with Mum’s The Wordand the dance film SHE/HER, in which she explored the mother-daughter relationship. In Mommy Issues, Moisio will delve into the masculine perspective, examining how each performer deals with the eponymous question in their own life. What are the repercussions of being stuck in a dysfunctional mother-son relationship? How do men express (or repress) their problems? Can they address their fears and their past, or will they hold it all up within? Text, movement, acting and voice production will be interconnected within a powerful and emotionally charged performance, intended to encourage the audience to contemplate their own familial relationships and the patterns that inform them.
Choreography and direction: Cecilia Moisio Performers: Angelika Tomasiak, Artur Bieńkowski, Kamil Bończyk, Szymon Dobosik, Kamil Pilarski, Alexey Torgunakov, Piotr Mateusz Wach Artistic director: Anna Piotrowska Music: Joni Vanhanen
Costumes and scenography: Cecilia Moisio
Light design: Pawel Murlik
Technique: Dastin Greczyło, Marcin Aleksiej, Bartosz Napieracz
Video edit: Mark Thewessen and Aleksander Joachimiak
Trailers: Aleksander Joachimiak
Photos: Krzysztof Kadis
Created for the FAM programme of Tanzmainz, Germany.
In OMGYES two women delve into the sexual psychology of women and the feminine meanings behind the word ‘yes’. What does the word ‘yes’ mean as a concept and for women in a societal context? Admitting to pleasure and your urges is not often allowed for women: How do we deal with this constant conflict between protecting ourselves versus totally letting go?
With OMGYES Cecilia Moisio wants to confront the public with the contradiction of over-sexualising the female body on one hand while totally denying the vulva and it’s biological functions on the other. In our society, women are portrayed as highly sexualised beings that evoke feelings of fantasy and desire that are shown in all aspects of media. But contemporary women don’t want to be seen as victims of their own gender but want to acknowledge their sexuality as something valuable and individual. OMGYES speaks about these taboo’s and looks at the female sexual urges in an informative, funny, raw and emotional way.
WE HAVE TO TALK is a movement-monologue for five women at the brink of a decision: the ending of a relationship and all the reasons for it. They explain themselves, accuse, pull back, lie and release. Text and movement come together to give a comment on our behaviour in love and how we can lie to ourselves just to find a way out. An ode to the confrontation of our fear of commitment. WE HAVE TO TALK is based on the solo IT’S NOT YOU, IT’S ME Cecilia made for herself in 2013.
SHE/HER is a film about the balance of power and the deep underlying emotions of a mother-daughter relationship: the uncertainties, manipulation, dependence and ultimately love.
10 minute cross disciplinary dansfilm SHE/HER made by choreographer Cecilia Moisio and director Sonja Wyss and the support of Mediafonds, Fonds voor Podimkunst, NTR, Cinedans.
The leading roles: Lineke Rijxman and Jorijn Vriesendorp.
Premiere 19 March 2016 during Cinedans Festival in Amsterdam.
Mum’s The Word, meaning to keep a secret and not to tell anybody, is a performance about mothers and daughters. The complex bond that already starts in the womb, the secrets and the behavior between mother and daughter. In a house full of memories these personal stories are brought to light. Moisio challenges the audience to reflect on the most basic form of love.
Mum’s The Word speaks about taboos like manipulation, jealousy and hidden rivalry. But it also speaks about the intimacy and the emotional inheritance that is passed on from generation to generation and forms a fundamental element of our behavior and our look upon life.
After the successful performances Juxtapose and L.O.V.E. Cecilia Moisio now comes with Mum’s The Word, a full-length dance and theater performance for four generations of female performers.
Cecilia Moisio is artist in residence at the production house Dansmakers Amsterdam. In 2014 she received the Award of the Dutch Dance Festival in Maastricht for upcoming choreographic talent. Mum’s The Word, as part of this prize, will premiere at the Dutch Dance Festival 2015 in Maastricht.
Premiere 3 October 2015 Nederlandse Dansdagen
Concept, choreography and direction: Cecilia Moisio Performers: Arnica Elsendoorn, Sylvia Poorta, Soosan Gilson, Katarzyna Sitarz and Yulia Kalinchenko Video and light design: Mark Thewessen Set Design: Malin Moisio Music: Joni Vanhanen Advice acting: Vincent Wijlhuizen Artistic advice: Suzy Blok Technique: Marcel Slagter Production/tour management: Hit Me Productions Publicity: Lisa Reinheimer, Lisette Brouwer Coach Singing: Ineke van Doorn Costumes: Margot Koudstaal a.o. Photography: Jamain Brigitha – Associatives & Jochem Jurgens
Supported by De Nederlandse Dansdagen, Fonds Podiumkunsten, Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunsten, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie, BNG Bank
Sleazy, hard and dirty. This summer Marcus Azzini and Toneelgroep Oostpool will make a big performance for the Parade festival and it’s 25th jubilee. Partymonster combines theatre, dance, music and performance to give an ode to the night and the perfect high. The piece is based on the infamous Club Kid, Michael Alig who was a provocative figure in the New York party scene of the 90’s. He crated extravagant parties with endless freedom for self-expression that broke all the rules. In the night nothing is impossible until he pushes himself to the limits and murders one of his co- Club Kids. Patymonster will tour four cities during the Parade festival: Rotterdam, Den Haag, Utrecht and Amsterdam
Premiere: 18 June 2015 at Parade Rotterdam
Director: Marcus Azzini
Choreography: Cecilia Moisio
Music: Joost van Bellen
Text: Hannah van Wieringen
Actor: Nik van den Berg
Performance: Dennis Vanderbroeck/Bas Kosters Studio, Anton van der Sluis, Joep Hendrikx
Dance: Luca Cacitti, Johannes Lindh, Lorenzo Capiodeci and Pedro Alves
Y.E.S. is a movement and voice performance that dives into one of our most basic psychological needs: to feel happiness. An emotional rollercoaster through boundless euphoria and our quest to make the positive feelings in our lives last. What do we find when these emotions are magnified and held on to for too long? Does real joy exist without its counterpart, sadness? Y.E.S. is based on a part of Cecilia’s latest evening length piece L.O.V.E. and adapted to the 2nd year students of Modern Theatre Dance of the Theater school of Amsterdam.
As a part of ‘Jubel’ – the 25th jubilee performance by Danstheater AYA, Cecilia Moisio, Alida Dors and Giulio D’Anna react on the older works of Wies Bloemen. Cecilia chose Eindtijd (2000) and made her own intake on the subject of death and how this is still a taboo within our society. Repeated ways of dying, an analytical approach to the decay of the body and the intense emotional mourning of another where the theme’s that Cecilia used to make this work.
Premiere: 4 June 2015
Choreography and Direction: Cecilia Moisio
Performers: Regilio Sedoc and Gwen Langenberg
Music: Joni Vanhanen, Mark Lanegan Band, Jelly Roll Morton, Willem Breuker Kollektief
Light: Erik van Raalte
Photo’s: Ben van Duin
Explosieve danstaal tijdens Jubel van Danstheater AYA
Resa Oomen- Dans Magazine
In het kader van het 25-jarig jubileum van Danstheater AYA heeft Wies Bloemen drie jonge choreografen gevraagd een dialoog aan te gaan met werk uit het rijke oeuvre van 25 jaar AYA. Deze dansvoorstelling Jubel ging 5 juni in première bij Dansmakers aan het IJ in Amsterdam. Elke choreografie begint met een mondelinge dialoog op het scherm tussen Wies Bloemen en de choreografen. Cecilia Moisio presenteert This is the end, haar interpretatie op Eindtijd (2000). Giulio D’Anna laat zijn interpretatie op Harnas (2013) zien, Har(t)nas, en Alida Dors maakt Bronsttijd (1996) eigen door haar gelijknamige bewerking Bronsttijd. Alle drie zijn ze explosief en met veel humor gebracht.
Cecilia Moisio schudt haar publiek wakker met This is the end
Cecilia Moisio wordt in de dialoog met Wies Bloemen benoemd als een choreografe die het publiek wakker schudt en ongemak bezorgt. Zelf vertelt Moisio dat ze heel theatraal werkt. Ze vergroot emoties uit en laat de dansers snel schakelen om het publiek wakker te schudden. Ze werkt multidisciplinair en combineert haar sterke dansvakmanschap met stemgebruik en acteren. Typerend voor haar dansvoorstellingen is het dynamische karakter met enerzijds de rauwe emoties en anderzijds een strakke, beheerste choreografie.
Ik ben wakker geschud door This is the end. Zittend op het puntje van mijn stoel heb ik de dansers een achtbaan aan verschillende manieren van sterven zien beleven. In het begin is het luchtig en worden de doodsoorzaken benoemd door de dansers en direct getoond. Duizeligheid, hartaanval, slangenbeet, kwelling en flauwte zijn oorzaken die zoal worden genoemd en herhaald gedurende de dansvoorstelling. Kerkklokken op de achtergrond maken het soms zwaar. Jaren 20-muziek maakt het weer licht en lachwekkend. Dit terwijl de heftige manieren van sterven steeds worden herhaald.
De grote schakels in This is the end waar Cecilia Moisio zo om bekend staat zitten vooral in het immense verdriet van de rouwende die heel snel overgaat naar een lach omdat het leven verder gaat. Het constant herhalen van de verschillende manieren van sterven zorgt dat ik niet om de dood heen kan. Gek genoeg geeft deze dansvoorstelling me, misschien juist daardoor, veel energie. Respect voor de dansers Gwen Langenberg en Regilio Sedoc die een uitputtingsslag leverden door zeer geloofwaardig steeds opnieuw te sterven.
Het jubelt van binnen dankzij Jubel van Danstheater AYA
Dansvoorstelling Jubel van Danstheater AYA bestaat uit drie totaal verschillende choreografieën waar ik veel energie van heb gekregen. Confronterend, wakker schuddend en ontroerend. Alle drie met veel verve en energie gemaakt in een explosieve danstaal die blijft hangen. Danstheater AYA kan een prachtige nieuwe productie toevoegen aan een al indrukwekkende lijst. Met Jubel kan het 25-jarig jubileum van Danstheater AYA jubelend gevierd worden.
In L.O.V.E., the new full-feature dance and theater performance by Cecilia Moisio, the main theme is the boundless, euphoric feeling of happiness and love. Cecilia shows us not only how we can lose ourselves in the quest for love, but also to what extent expectations of society and the media affect our love behavior. The viewer is confronted with the questions: do we believe in pure love or do we confuse our love behavior with what we see and hear around us? What does real happiness look like? Has romance become a substitute for love? Can clichés about love and happiness also lead to the actual experience of these feelings?
In L.O.V.E. four performers express their feelings of love and happiness. They try to find their own identity in love by looking for connections with each other and the audience. The popular ‘love song’ plays a central role in L.O.V.E.. Lyrics and vocals are decomposed, repeated and modified by the performers in order to find new meanings. L.O.V.E. is introvert and vulnerable, as well as confrontational. The feeling of happiness is magnified and glorified, but does too much euphoria and ecstasy eventually lead to its own downfall?
Premiere 9 October 2014
Concept, choreography and direction Cecilia Moisio
Performers Erin Harty/Karin Frankel, Jorijn Vriesendorp, Shay Partush, Lorenzo Capodieci
Trainees short version Lili Kok, Amy Pender, Serano Pinas, Marnix Lenselink
Actingadvice Vincent Wijlhuizen
Artistic advice Suzy Blok, Krisztina de Châtel
Voice coaching Ineke van Doorn
Music Joni Vanhanen
Costumes Samuji, Delikatessen
Light design Vinny Jones
Technique Marcel Slagter
Production Mette Stam and Hit Me Productions
Photo’s Jamain Brigitha – Associatives and Sigel Eschkol
Co-producers Dansgroep Amsterdam, ITs Festival
Thanks to: Dansgroep Amsterdam, Stichting Imperium, ITs Festival, Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap, Fonds Podiumkunsten, Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunsten and the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds
Cecilia made 2 by 2 as a part of Distinguished Dreams project of FASHIONCLASH and Nederlandse Dansdagen. She collaborated with designer Sara Vrugt and she worked with dancers from ArtEZ Vooropleiding Dans Venlo.
‘We imagine how we must appear to others. We imagine the judgment of that appearance. We develop our self through the judgments of others.’
How doe we mimic the images we see around ourselves on a daily basis? How does this mirroring behavior change our perception of self? Two couples are literally bound to each other, mirroring each other in movement and expression. Wanting to escape but not being able to.
Music by: Jonne Kuusisto
Photo’s: Team Peter Stigter
“Dit jaar stond naast mode ook dans centraal tijdens het festival. Zaterdag begon de dag met “Distinguished Dreams”. Vijf korte stukken werden gedanst door studenten van Opleiding Dans Maastricht en ArtEZ Vooropleiding Dans Venlo. Deze samenwerking tussen Fashionclash en de Nederlandse Dansdagen was zo tof, niet normaal. Ik heb met open mond gekeken naar ieder zijn optreden. Wat Clean zo mooi vond was dat in ieder stuk kleding, of in elk geval stof, centraal stond. Ik heb het meest genoten van “2 by 2″.”
Cecilia created the five hour durational piece Facets for the MSU Zagreb, Croatia in June 2014 as a part of Performing Gender and in collaboration with Domino/Queer Zagreb.
“A woman delves into different characters of her persona in one contained space. She shows us images of who she would like to be and the sides she keeps hidden. A magnified look into the associative thought process of a woman and the stereotypes she lives by.”
Photo’s: Darko Vaupotic
Performing Gender is a European dance project making use of artistic and cultural tools to open up a civil reflection on gender and sexual orientation differences, seen as sources of values and richness for the whole European society.
Performing Gender wants to build a European laboratory in which dominant codes and mainstream images in relation to gender and sexual preferences are questioned and reflected upon, bringing this into the wider community through the universal language of the arts, to develop new images and to collect new insights together. The starting point of this journey is the body of the artist, seen as the ideal cultural medium to research and to portray new identities.
Performing Gender invites an international group of choreographers, dancers and visual artists to share a two year voyage of research and training based in different European cities: workshops, residencies and performances will investigate the representations of sexuality and gender, challenging the artists’ identities and calling into question stereotypes and bias.
At the end of this journey, the artists will be asked to produce works to be staged in established and renowned European museums. These museums will open their institutions and integrate these new works of art and identities as part of their collections.
This research process will be as open as possible: the artists will attend public exchanges with the local communities in the partner cities and the audience of the performances will be asked to react, to give feedback and to challenge the dominant views related to sexual roles and gender identities. Audiovisual outputs from all the workshops will tour among the partner cities to disseminate the European dimension of the project, and a final international symposium will evaluate its outcomes.
Partners:
Domino / Queer Zagreb (Zagreb, Croatia)
Paso a 2 (Madrid, Spain)
Dutch Dance Festival (Maastricht, The Netherlands)
