16. ANTISTATIC FESTIVAL: Being Moved

Being Moved is a journey. It begins hushed in a darkened circular stage space, and gradually reaches the pulse and ecstatic energy of a club scene. A breathtaking transformation in which Austrian choreographer Simon Mayer's body plays as if it is a stringed instrument on which invisible virtuoso fingers are run through. Mayer transmutes breathing into movement and movement - into breathing. The sound of footsteps is intertwined with heartbeats, aiming to answer the fundamental questions of spontaneity and self-expression.

Simon Mayer, born 1984 in Austria, is a choreographer, musician, performer, lecturer and curator. He studied at the Vienna State Opera Ballet School and at the P.A.R.T.S. in Brussels and was a member of the Vienna State Opera Ballet. As a musician and singer, Simon founded and played in various bands (Rising Halfmoon, C.O.P.), released audio performances of his stage productions, and continues to create his own music. As a dancer, choreographer and musician, he has been involved in productions by Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker/Rosas (The Song), Wim Vandekeybus and Zita Swoon. His choreographic repertoire includes solos, duets, group pieces, operas, and socially engaged and immersive events. Simon curated the festival “Spiel”(Upper Austria) and was co-curator of festivals such as “Tanzplan Ost” (CH) and “The Ecstatic Body” Festival (Tanzquartier Vienna).

Simon is a guest lecturer at international festivals and universities and holds seminars at HfMDK (Frankfurt), Impulstanz Festival, MUK (Vienna), RITCS (Brussels).

This event is part of 16th edition of Antistatic Festival for Contemporary Dance and Performance.

This guest performance is made possible with the financial support of the National Culture Fund, under the Program for Recovery and Development of Private Cultural Organizations.

The international program of the festival for contemporary dance and performance "Antistatic" 2023 is organized by the "Brain Store Project" foundation and the "Nomad Dance Academy Bulgaria" association, with the financial support of the Ministry of Culture, National Fund "Culture" under the "Program for the Restoration and development of private cultural organizations", Goethe-Institut Bulgaria, Metropolitan Municipality - Calendar of cultural events and Polish Institute in Sofia, and in partnership with RCSI "Toplocentrala", "Derrida" Stage and "Etude" Gallery.

Tickets: Presale until 20 April – 15 BGN; until 8 May – 20 BGN; regular price after 8 May – 25 BGN