Body that Stands

Body that Stands is a 60-minute dance performance for three dancers, exploring the multifaceted notion of resistance. In a world where opposition signifies both a necessity for survival and a potential catalyst for violence, this piece deconstructs the term to reveal its nuances. Through movement, spoken text, and minimalist scenography, Body that Stands examines how acts of defiance shape our physical, emotional, and societal landscapes.

Drawing from the political and cultural tensions rooted in her Israeli-German identity, Goshen delves into resistance not just as a reaction, but as an inherent force within life itself. From pushing against gravity to confronting the psychological and political dimensions of defiance, the work investigates where acts of strength empower and where they blur the fine line into aggression.

Wrestling, leaning, carrying, holding, dropping, screaming, protesting—throughout the piece, the dancers embody the intersections between the power to oppose, the need for control, vulnerability, and desires, constantly suggesting an intense interplay of power and powerlessness. Parallel to the moving human body, construction and deconstruction unfold on stage through evolving scenography. As the performers shape and are shaped by their environment, the performance highlights the duality of opposition as both formative and destructive, inviting the audience to reflect on its presence in their own lives.

Body that Stands observes opposition to uncover the complexities of our existence and the structures that sustain it.

Concept, choreography & artistic direction: Smadar Goshen | Dance & Performance: Bar Gonen, Cordelia Eleonore Lange, Zuki Ringart | Dramaturgy: Maya Weinberg | Costume & stage design: Lilo Ming | Music: Leonard Küßner | Communication: Angela Milosevic