ABYSSEA-thru: ALIEN and ALIVE

Dance Performance by Melissa Ugolini, Gizem Aksu and Leyla Postalcıoğlu

Deep sea - the largest and least known habitat on the planet - has become a place of curiosity, conflict and beauty in recent decades as the Monterey Bay Research Institute (MBARI) notes. Deep sea is a world of extremes. Deep sea creatures/giants of the ocean challenge, progress, extend our approach towards life and existence on this planet.

ABYSSEA-thru: ALIEN and ALIVE is a transdisciplinary performance of three dancers who have been changed & challenged by their immigration experiences and are willing to approach their transnational immigrant bodies with a posthuman reference, relating to and reflecting on deep sea creatures in the context of their transformative, affirmative body power under pressure.

This performance is an immersive invitation on deep sea and see-through-sharings of immigration experience by the diverse meanings of immersion: ‘’As a descent into liquid, as an absorption of mind and body in some activity or interest, and as the all-encompassing entry of a person into an unfamiliar cultural milieu,’’ as Stefan Helmreich explains.

Gizem Aksu, Melissa Ugolini and Leyla Postalcıoğlu are raised by the sea & its sensorium and migrated to Berlin for dance. They elaborate on the mysterious technology of the nervous system in order to create posthuman imageries and imaginaries inspired by deep sea creatures on the limits and definitions of life and being alive under the pressure of ecological and migrational policies. What kind of giants/creatures are being shaped within immigrant bodies which are invisibly wounded, shapeshifted by variable pressures? What can deep sea creatures’ unique existence in very cold, dark and pressured conditions for life in the deep sea teach us in the context of belonging, relocating and recalibrating of immigrant bodies? Thinking with Alexis Pauline Gumbs, how can their ‘recently discovered’ existence inspire us to imagine further and work for undiscovered ways of being, existing, caring and creating solidarities even if dystopian destructions of normative, neoliberal, colonial and climate pressure are present within us?

With an artistic dialogue with Turkish oceanographer Dr. Derya Akkaynak’s groundbreaking algorithm Sea-thru; this immersive experience will be embodied by the performers, in each evening, to restore their lost colors in their own psycho-physical expressions. Through liquid imaginaries from Istanbul, Pesaro, Berlin and beyond, they will welcome you to broaden our horizon from human diversity in socio-political, cultural justice towards posthuman diversity including ecological justice.

Premiere: August 15th | 9pm | Heizhaus, Uferstudios
Further Performances: August 16th - 18th | 9pm | Heizhaus, Uferstudios

Concept, Artistic Direction, Choreography: Gizem Aksu

Creation and Performance: Leyla Postalcıoğlu, Melissa Ugolini, Gizem Aksu

Design and Creation of Body Masks: Leyla Okan

Lighting Design: Annegret Schalke, Hanna Kritten Tangsoo

Sound and Projection Operator: Gizem Oruç

Music and Sound Design: Emre Malikler

Underwater Video D.O.P: Esra Tanrıverdi

Visual D.O.P: İlkin Eskipehlivan

Choreographic Assistance: Aslı Melisa Uzun

Press and Public Relations: Marcelo Vilela da Silva

Production Managment: MIFRUSH Production (Micaela Trigo & Urszula Heuwinkel)