Destination FCKD explores the phenomenon of NPCing as an in real life answer to human simulations in digital worlds. Six performers tackle physical and philosophical aspects on non-playable characters in a surreal scape of movements.
The basis for this is a library of more than 200 NPCs developed in the creation process and their abilities with respect to rhythm, space, sound and narrative. NPC is short for non-player character and refers to artificial identities reduced to the essence of their functionality with a minimum of means. They execute repeating tasks, communicate with a highly restricted vocabulary and act in pre-defined loops.
Replaying – stops, reversions, glitches – is a method of developing movements extracted from the field of street and club styles, which are used as choreographic structures of improvisation in Destination FCKD. The morphing devised for the piece is derived from image generation processes employed by artificial intelligence. Errors, distortions and glitches form the underlying aesthetic and narrative language, superimposing the interpretative spaces of the dance performance as socio-critical filters and pointing to a human plane behind the algorithm.
Inspired by artificial and real worlds, dance and choreography in Destination FCKD thus become an inclusive interplay of various qualities of movement, in which IRL errors and digital artefacts collide in a stage context.
The Hungry Sharks dance company was founded in 2011 by choreographer Valentin Alfery and photographer/creative producer Dušana Baltić and has since been constantly developing in co-direction. In varying formats, places and constellations, pieces characterised by high physicality, a strong visual level, the negotiation of societal issues and a conceptual, choreographic approach are created for both stages and site-specific spaces. In addition to touring Europe on a regular basis, Hungry Sharks productions have been presented in the United States and Sri Lanka.
"The piece never loses its dynamism, and the dancers maintain their energy until the very last second. We have had to wait far too long for a work as precisely critical as Destination FCKD."
Helmut Ploebst (Der Standard)
Idea and artistic direction Valentin Alfery Head of production andartistic advisor Dušana Baltić Performers Coline Hemery, Ailsa Li, Caterina Politi, Jana Dünner, Flóra Virág, Francesca De Girolamo Dramaturgy Marco Payer Outside eye Claire Lefèvre, Imani Rameses, Tuulia Soininen Composition Manuel Riegler Live sound Fabian Lanzmaier Lighting design Sveta Schwin Costume design Caterina Politi ProductionassistantMax Rosenberger Creative movement research Michael Sellner, Alexander Tesch, Ailsa Li, Chloé Wanner, Zoé De Reynier, Valentin Alfery, Caterina Politi, Jana Dünner, Flóra Virag, Coline Hemery, Spela Remec, Chris Fargeot
A co-production by brut Wien and Szene Salzburg
With the kind support of the City of Vienna’s Department of Cultural Affairs, the Austrian Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Civil Service and Sport, the City of Salzburg, the Province of Salzburg, the Province of Carinthia and the Otto Mauer Fonds.
Thanks to Festspielhaus St. Pölten, Tanzhaus Zürich, Residenzzentrum tanz+
brut nordwest
Nordwestbahnstraße 8-10, 1200 Vienna
The performance on Mon, 18 will be followed by an artist talk. Moderation: Claire Lefèvre
This performance uses stroboscope and loud sound.
accessible
Nordwestbahnstraße 8-10, 1200 Vienna
Subway: U1, U2 (Praterstern), U4 (Friedensbrücke), U6 (Dresdnerstraße) Tram: 5 (Nordwestbahnstraße) Bus: 5A (Wasnergasse)
not accessible
Zieglergasse 25, 1070 Wien
Subway: U3 (Zieglergasse), Tram: 49 (Westbahnstraße / Zieglergasse)
Eschenbachgasse 11 / Ecke Getreidemarkt, 1010 Vienna
U-Bahn: U4, U1 (Karlsplatz), Tram: 1, 2, D, 71 (Burgring), Bus: 57A (Getreidemarkt)