Contemporary Dance performance co-produced by TANZhAUS Bern and BETA Verein (CH)
Performance dates: 11th/12th/13th of June 2027 at the Junge Bühne Bern (CH)
Concept and Choreography by Marioenrico D’Angelo / Music by Philipp Rumsch / Production by Irene Andreetto / Costumes by Catherine Voeffrey / Outside Eye: Kathrin Yvonne Bigler / Mediation and Coaching by Nicole Friedman
Can we still enjoy the present moment fully, knowing that what’s about to come might be bigger, better, or simply different? And what if it isn’t?
Throughout life, it’s easy to feel dissatisfied with what we have and to believe we deserve something better. We pour energy into the next career move or into improving our relationships, convinced that happiness lies just beyond the next milestone. There’s nothing wrong with striving to grow, but when our goals keep shifting, we risk falling into a cycle of “someday” thinking, forever chasing or waiting for a brighter future and forgetting the present.
In music and opera, a prelude, or overture, was originally conceived as an introduction to a work of greater significance. The prelude was born as a simple composition to warm up musicians and focus the audience before the main performance. Over time, preludes evolved into standalone, emotionally rich pieces that showcased the composer’s artistry, becoming symbols of artistic freedom. From Bach’s thematic variations to Chopin’s 24 expressive preludes, and continuing through Debussy, Ravel, Shostakovich, and contemporary composers, the prelude became a genre of independent artistic expression, a celebration of the present without ulterior purpose.
Préludes is a choreographic work for ADULT and teenage audiences (12+) that reflects on the experience of living the present moment as if it were only a prelude to something more significant, a “not yet” that overshadows the value of the here and now. The piece explores this emotional tension and invites audiences to rediscover the significance and weight of the present.
In Préludes, the human body and dance become a grounding and emotionally accessible experience, one that cuts through the noise of a fast, overstimulating world. Through the physicality of the performers, Préludes encourages young and adult audiences to reflect on the value of the present moment and to recognise that the now does not need to be perfect to be meaningful.
In close collaboration with composer and sound designer Philipp Rumsch, the work features an innovative musical score that reimagines the historical form of the prelude through a contemporary lens. His contribution introduces a fresh sonic layer, blending tradition and experimentation to create a cohesive and immersive sound world.
‘‘I am deeply drawn to the project Préludes because of my long-standing engagement with the genre of the prelude, both as a pianist and as a composer and producer. Having studied and performed many preludes, especially those by Chopin and Scriabin, I have always been fascinated by their ability to open a door for listeners: to establish a sensorial space before the “actual” work begins. In my own practice, I strongly resonate with this moment of transition and introduction, as well as with the project’s metaphysical dimension: shaping the present moment rather than constantly chasing an imagined future. A central aspect of my artistic work is the abstraction of historically rooted musical forms and their translation into a contemporary sonic language. In the context of Préludes, this approach offers a direct entry point for a teenage audience: rather than encountering preludes as distant historical artifacts, young listeners are invited to experience them through a contemporary sound aesthetic informed by ambient music, experimental pop, and minimalistic electronic sound design. By freeing the music from the conventions often associated with classical concert settings, the performance creates a more direct and accessible encounter with this repertoire. I am particularly interested in examining preludes through a dual lens, both artistic and research-driven, by reworking historical material with contemporary tools. The use of artificial intelligence and immersive, multi-channel sound allows the music to move away from frontal listening towards a spatial, embodied experience, giving sound a physical presence that directly connects with dance. This immersive approach supports an intuitive, sensory mode of listening that resonates strongly with younger audiences, while reinterpreting the richness of the prelude tradition in ways that amplify Marioenrico’s choreographic vision.’’
Philipp Rumsch
Préludes themes, waiting, anticipation, emotional closeness, identity formation, and comparison, are deeply connected to the lived experiences of everyone, but particularly to those of young people. This project holds significant pedagogical relevance for teenage audiences. Adolescence is one of these pivotal transitional periods: a time of rapid growth when individuals are “neither child nor adult,” waiting to be recognised as autonomous while still subject to others' authority. Today’s teenagers often feel suspended between stages, caught in a constant anticipation of something better and more meaningful, an experience intensified by the pressures and comparisons of the digital world, where someone else’s “perfect” life is always just a scroll away, and where constant comparison fuels performance anxiety and reinforces the fear of “not being enough”. The piece addresses these realities by working through embodied expression rather than explanation. It offers teenagers new ways to understand and relate to their emotions.
“I chose to create a dance performance specifically for teenagers following a formative experience in my earlier work. While choreographing Was uns hält, a production for children created with the Musiktheater im Revier Dance Company in Gelsenkirchen, I witnessed firsthand the profound impact artistic experiences can have on young audiences. After performances, I observed children imitating fragments of the choreography, speaking about scenes with one another, and physically expressing their excitement. Their immediate and unfiltered responses moved me deeply. The school matinee performances were particularly meaningful. I noticed that many of the children attending had never been inside a theatre before; knowing that the performance offered them a first encounter with contemporary dance, one that might leave a lasting impression, was profoundly rewarding. This experience reminded me of my own first encounter with dance as a young audience member. After watching a friend perform, I fell in love with dance myself. Seeing people on stage, unafraid, unapologetically expressing themselves, and clearly enjoying what they were doing, sparked my desire to start dancing. Remembering this moment made me realise how powerful such experiences can be, and how they can shape a young person’s relationship with art and self-expression.’’
Marioenrico D’Angelo
Workshops & Post-Show Discussions
Artistic expression plays a vital role in the development and well-being of young people. Engaging with the arts supports emotional regulation, self-discovery, and communication, skills that are essential during adolescence. It enhances cognitive skills such as problem-solving, imagination, and flexible thinking, while also fostering empathy and strengthening social bonds. In a time when many teenagers struggle with stress, mental health challenges, and digital overload, dance and other art forms offer a crucial space for connection, reflection, and personal empowerment. Dance reconnects teenagers to the physical world, encouraging sensory awareness, emotional regulation, presence, attention, and an embodied sense of identity. In this way, it offers a powerful antidote to digital overload and supports their overall well-being.
For these reasons, we aim to organise workshops and post-show discussions in collaboration with schools and youth centres. The workshops give young people the opportunity to experience their bodies and emotions through new artistic pathways, encouraging creativity, confidence, and collaborative exploration. Post-show discussions provide an open and moderated space where students can ask questions, articulate their impressions, and connect the themes of the performance to their own lives. These conversations deepen understanding, strengthen the impact of the artistic experience, and create a bridge between the performance and the social and emotional realities of young audiences.
Cultural Manager Nicole Friedman, responsible for the educational programme for children and young people at the Migros Culture Percentage Dance Festival Steps and co-director of the YOUNG DANCE festival, will advise the Préludes team throughout the project. She will define the pedagogical materials needed by teachers and will help develop a dedicated workshop tailored to the piece.
In 2026, prior to the start of the creation process, we will organise dance workshops with the Tanzclub Youngstars group in Bern. Youngstars is a contemporary dance group for teenagers supported by Bern Ballett and Bühnen Bern, and led by Dance Educator Karin Hermes. Karin Hermes has agreed to host choreographer Marioenrico D’Angelo and dancer Andrey Alves, who will facilitate a series of workshops with the group’s young members. These workshops will allow the Préludes team to engage directly with teenage dancers, gathering their perspectives on the project’s themes and artistic approach. The sessions will also open a dialogue about dance today, exploring what kinds of performances, movement qualities, and artistic languages resonate most strongly with young generations. This exchange will guide the creation process and make sure the work stays closely connected to the experiences and sensibilities of its intended audience.
Artistic Process
‘‘My artistic process is rooted in an ongoing dialogue between physical exploration and conceptual ideas. In my movement research, I work with physical tasks, actions that generate textures, sensations, emotions, or atmospheres within the body. At the same time, I build movement from conceptual ideas, shaping each scene according to the emotional or thematic landscape it requires. This dual approach, physical research and conceptual intention, forms the foundation of my choreographic language.
My practice is grounded in contemporary dance, understood as a broad and porous field that embraces a wide range of movement qualities. I approach contemporary dance not as a fixed style but as a methodology of openness, adaptability, and dialogue with other forms, drawing from diverse influences, including contact improvisation, traditional dances, ballet, dance theatre, and urban and ballroom techniques. These inspirations converge in a movement language that is both precise and expressive, abstract yet emotionally resonant.
I am deeply inspired by the moment when a dancer’s unique physicality meets my choreographic voice, when their individuality and my movement vocabulary merge to create something neither of us could produce alone. This exchange enriches us both artistically and allows each piece to become a unique choreography shaped by the particular bodies and personalities involved. My choreographic process is inherently collaborative. It involves movement research based on concepts and ideas, guided improvisations, and ongoing discussions with the artistic team, allowing each work to evolve through shared exploration. At its core, my work is driven by the conviction that dance, in all its forms, when crafted with depth and integrity, possesses a unique capacity to connect directly with its audience.”
Marioenrico D’Angelo