Underdogs

"Les forêts précèdent les hommes, les déserts les suivent. Forests precede humans, deserts follow." François-René de Chateaubriand, 1768-1848

A group of six people on the fringes of society. Each with their own quirks and idiosyncrasies, their personal peculiarities and shortcomings, involuntarily united. The association may offer protection from the outside world, but it also generates constant surveillance, constriction and seething conflicts.

Excessive demands on various levels are the central trigger for drifting to the edge of a world they cannot keep up with; they are already history in the crazy, dystopian present. Too slow, too dreamy, too hesitant, too hopeless, too empathetic.

Underdogs approach to movement combines elements of partnering and acrobatics with a focus on synchronised, rhythmic group choreographies, contextualised by acting scenes that are intended to be characterised by the stylistic device of exaggeration and alienation, which I hope will create an exciting osmosis between emotion and abstraction.

premiere: 26 February 2025, Szene Salzburg

dance, acting, research:

Francesco D'Amelio

Weng Teng Choi-Buttinger

Marcin Denkiewicz

Nikola Majtanova

Marcello Musini

Jerca Rožnik Novak

choreography, artistic direction: Editta Braun

composition: Thierry Zaboitzeff

choreographic assistance: Maja Mirek

light design: Thomas Hinterberger

coaching partnering: Beno Novak

taylor: Cvetanka Mojsovski, Lili Brit Pfeiffer

length: app. 50 minutes

Weng Teng Choi-Buttinger - dance

* 1992 in Macao, graduated in classical ballet from the Hong Kong Academy, danced in Swan Lake, Les Sylphides, among others. Several prizes, also for her own choreographies, including in Macau, Taipei and Edinburgh. BA at the ABPU Linz. Married in Austria, mother of two children. https://we-cie.com

Performs with e b c in: Hydráos, Proximity, women, Underdogs

Nikola Majtanova - dance

* 1996 in Slovakia, BA in Contemporary Dance and Pedagogy at the ABPU Linz. Engagements at the Landestheater Linz, collaboration with Laja Martin, Darrel Toulon, Marion Sparber, Nikol as Paul, Jan Lauwers, Paul Blackman. In addition to her performances, Nikola also works as a dance teacher.

Performs with e b c in: ALLES ANDERS, Proximity, women, Underdogs

Jerca Rožnik Novak - dance

* 1992 in Slovenia, BA and MA in Contemporary Dance and Pedagogy at the ABPU Linz. Engagements with Willi Dorner, Andreja Podrzavnik, Damian Cortes Alberti, Magdalena Reiter. Since 2014 member of SILK Fluegge and e b c. https://jercarozniknovak.com

Performs with e b c in: instant, trails, ALLES ANDERS, Proximity, women, Underdogs

Marcin Denkiewicz - dance

* 1995 in Warsaw, Poland, BA in Contemporary Dance and Education at ABPU Linz. Most recently he has worked with Bert Gstettner, Laja Martin, Body Architects, Robert Carsen, Kirill Serebrennikov. In addition to his performances, Marcin teaches contemporary dance in workshops with a focus on acrobatics and partnering techniques.

Performs with e b c in: ALLES ANDERS, Underdogs

Francesco D'Amelio - dance

* 1988 in Italy, degree as Actor at CSA Milano, BA and MA in contemporary dance at ZZT Cologne and AP Antwerp. Engagements with MakeaMove Collective, Performing:Group, Judith Sanchez Ruiz, SILK Fluegge. Beside working for others Francesco is the founder of the collective STATO BRADO through which he is developing his own style of performing and teaching mixing theatre and dance improvisation, Idokinesis and acrobatics.

Performs with e b c in: Underdogs

Marcello Musini - dance

* 1997 in Italy, italian/hungarian born, studied in Hungary and graduated from SEAD Salzburg. Engagements with TRAK Dance Ensemble, Paul Blackman, Jan Lauwers, Cie Laroque, Marie Nuzel, Bahzad Sulaiman, Hubert Lepka, Bodhi Project. Besides freelancing, Marcello finds interest mostly in improvisation practices, and teaches dance as well as Pilates with a focus on body awareness.

Performs with e b c in: Underdogs

Maja Mirek - choreographic assistance

* in 1991 in Poland, journalist with a BA degree, driven by the desire to heal the world. After MA degree in interactive media, she changed her life dancing. In 2020 graduated dance at the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp, in 2023 with a BA at ABPU in Linz. Currently engagement at the Stadttheater Gießen/Germany. Besides being a dancer and performer, Maja Mirek works also as photographer.

Performs with e b c in: NaYmA, Proximity