Touch Isolation
Show
further dates:
18.-21. November 2021, Kaserne Basel
4./5. February 2022, Yeah Yeah Yeah Festival Zurich (Rote Fabrik)
18./19. March 2022, Théâtre Sévelin 36 Lausanne
22. March 2022, Theater Chur
29./30. März 2021, Dampfzentrale Bern
21.-24. September 2022, Comédie de Genève
18./19. Mai 2024, Théâtre Populaire Romand, La Chaux-de-Fonds
Synapsis
Traditional ideas of masculinitiy don't allow the thought that a man may be gay. As a consequence, many boys are discouraged from a young age to engage in gentle, platonic touch with other boys. The american author Mark Greene developed a term for this: he calls it "Touch Isolation". Which effects does this phenomenon have on societies?
Biographical fragments and memories frame this work about the touch-experiences of men*. Sexual orientation, race and class play crucial roles. The male assigned body serves as a starting point to explore different images and qualities of touch and to expose and question them in the presence of an audience.
The USA, as a globally dominant export-industry of male* images, is the place where both, the term "Touch Isolation" as well as this show of the same name originate: Schwald/Leuenberger invited three US-american dancers to embark on this journey, in order to look at embodiments of masculinity and the stories that come along. With an open eye for disarmed and negotiable masculinities* we ask about the freedom that men* can attain and regain, once they start understanding their needs for touch.
Besetzung / Produktion
Choreography, Performance: André Chapatte, Andy Santana, Brandon Woods, Chris Leuenberger
Music, Performance: Thomas Jeker
Assistant: Manuel Zizzari
Costumes & Stage design: Salome Egger
Dramaturgy: Merel Heering
Outside Eyes: Jonas Gillmann, Matthew Rogers
Light & Technical direction: Thomas Kohler
Production: Maxine Devaud, Sabine Jud
Stage construction: Stefan Bachmann
Photos: Silvia Rohrbach, Lukas Acton
Graphic design: Lukas Acton
Video: Christoph Oertli
Thanks to: Zarah Mayer, Simon Froehling, Mona de Weerdt, Michelle Ettlin
A Coproduction with Veranstalterfonds of Reso-Tanznetzwerk Switzerland. Supported by Pro Helvetia, Swiss Arts Council.
Coproduction: Dampfzentrale Bern, Kaserne Basel
Supported by Fachausschuss Tanz & Theater BS/BL, Kultur Stadt Bern, SWISSLOS/Kultur Kanton Bern, Pro Helvetia, Burgergemeinde Bern, Ernst Göhner Stiftung, Landis & Gyr Stiftung, Kulturfonds der Société Suisse des Auteurs SSA, Schweizerische Interpretenstiftung SIS
