Cat Jimenez
losing face
with Imani Rameses, Youngung Sebastian Kim, Miranda Rumerstorfer
a mist of illusive harmony
bodies fusing into a supposed unity
dense atmosphere of motionlessness and an invisible yet ever present resistance
Which desire holds it together?
How long can this harmony last?
What is the risk of losing it?
A constant reiteration on the one thing that has them linked together.
The otherness.
The dance piece losing face is an implicit political commentary on the traces of colonialism experienced by marginalised groups in a predominantly white country. Four non-white performers from the fields of street and contemporary dance, all based in Austria, navigate and negotiate their ever-conflicting relation to race, contemporary oppression, trauma and neglect on stage.
Even though centuries have passed since the ‘classical colonialism’ period, the traces and wounds still run deep through today’s society. These appear at times as visible repercussions (e.g. racial slurs), but also crawl up as invisible consequences, which people of colour have to face in their everyday lives. One of the consequences is the colonial mindset – an internalised attitude in which the oppressed individual, or group, comes to believe that they are inferior to those in power, or the ‘dominant’ group.
What lies underneath this paradox causing people of colour to side with the oppressor(s) to become allies of the abuser(s) or abusers themselves? How can we break the cycle between deceitfulness and avoidance of the issue itself while being surrounded by a supposed harmony? How can we materialise this conflict mainly through movement?
INFO: The Performance on March 25th will be followed by an artist talk. Moderation: Hyo Lee
Cat Jimenez is a performer, choreographer, cypher enthusiast, and nostalgic visual artist. She has worked with different companies including Hungry Sharks, Potpourri, and n ï m company. In 2017 she received the ImPulsTanz festival’s danceWEB and the Stadttänzerinnen Klagenfurt scholarships, in 2018 the Austrian Federal Government’s START scholarship. In 2019, her duo performance WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? with Maiko Sakurai Karner premiered at imagetanz 2019. While dance has always been a personal means of expression to Cat Jimenez, she doesn’t shy away from recontextualising her art forms so that they carry her vision. Ultimately her art presents and queries underlying mechanics that shape and form people’s and society’s experiences of life. But more than just presenting these contents, her desire aims at establishing a space that encourages mutual understanding and co-creation.
Imani Rameses is a practicing dancer, choreographer, and cognitive neuroscientist, who lives and works in Vienna. She coalesces performance art and dance with neuroaesthetic theories and methodologies creating a lens from which to examine habituated assumptions. Her work explores how we can disrupt our routine choreographies and replace them with day-to-day ceremonies and moments of sacred play; she is a vessel contributing to the healing and reunification of humankind and planet earth.
Credits
Art direction, concept, choreography Cat Jimenez Co-conception, artistic collaboration Imani Rameses Co-choreography, performance MirandaRumerstorfer, Youngung Sebastian Kim, Imani Rameses, Cat Jimenez Dramaturgy, Coaching Philippe Riéra Musical direction, composition Martin Mitterstieler Lighting design Veronika Mayerböck Styling Magdalena Neuburger Outside eye Jaskaran Singh Anand Head of production, outside eye Franziska Zaida Schrammel
A co-production by KV Amygdala Wien and imagetanz/brut Wien
With the kind support of the City of Vienna’s Department of Cultural Affairs, the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Civil Service and Sport and Sport and Bildrecht (SKE Fonds).
Supported by SZENE Salzburg, Breakin’ Convention London, Bears in the Park and Tanz Company Gervasi (Raum 33).
Special thanks to Body Consulting / Sebastian Baumann, Physiotherapy / Sophia Kahlhammer, Text contribution / Gerard Rabara and Allround support / Michaela Altweger.
Dates & Tickets
The Performance on March 25th will be followed by an artist talk. Moderation: Hyo Lee
March 2022
€ 18 / € 14 / € 9
Remaining tickets at the Box Office *The Performance on March 25th will be followed by an artist talk. Moderation: Hyo Lee
€ 18 / € 14 / € 9
brut nordwest
Nordwestbahnstraße 8-10, 1200 Vienna
Downloads
Evening Programme losing face (PDF)
Abendprogramm losing face (PDF)
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