Seismic

Seismic is a performance combining dance and physical theatre, with scenographic construction at the core of its concept. Created for four international performers, the piece was developed by choreographer Marie Gourdain (FR) together with dancer and theatre maker Felix Baumann (DE).

The action unfolds on an unstable platform composed of separate sections that tilt, shake, and even break apart in response to the performers’ movements. This creates an incredibly fragile foundation on which the characters move alone, in pairs, or as a group — often as if risking their lives.

The protagonists confront the complexities of human relationships while tirelessly searching for a path through the uncertainty surrounding them. They alter their behaviour, play with danger, surrender balance and control, and risk losing the ground beneath their feet. Ordinary situations become absurd, while seemingly banal moments acquire metaphorical dimensions.

Through dance, humour, and scenographic design, Seismic tells a story about interdependence — the condition every body is subject to, while simultaneously being shaped by the mechanics of space and the presence of other bodies. It portrays an endless cycle of transformation within interconnected systems and a power dynamic whose origins can only be vaguely sensed through the unfolding chain of events.

Creative team and performers

Choreography & Direction: Marie Gourdain & Felix Baumann

Performers: Felix Baumann, Sean Henderson, Till Jenewein, Halka Třešňáková in collaboration with Johana Pocková

Dramaturgical Consultation: Jakub Režný

Lighting Design: Zuzana Režná

Music Composer: Thibault Cohade

Music Assistant: Lukáš Palán

Costumes: Magdalena Vrábová

Scenography: Jan Tomšů in collaboration with Marie Gourdain and Felix Baumann

Production: tYhle, Matière Mobile, Von B bis Z

Production Managers: Sarah Corroyer (FR), Ludmila Šindlerová (CZ), Claudia Teichmann (DE)

Production Consultant: Dirk Förster

Co-production: TANEC PRAHA z.ú. / PONEC – Theatre for Dance, LOFFT – DAS THEATER Leipzig (DE), Les SUBS Lyon (FR), CCNR Rillieux-la-Pape (FR)

Additional Partners: Studio ALTA, Schloss Bröllin (DE), MS Schrittmacher (DE)

Special Thanks: Participants of the Seismic LABs laboratories, Dirk Förster, Lucia Kašiarová, Lukáš Karásek, Martin Stiefermann, Nicole Nigro, Jonas Zöller, Manfred Mönch, Aziliz Edy, Eva Dryjová, Romana Packová

Premiere: 22 November 2022, PONEC – Theatre for Dance

Felix Baumann

Felix Baumann lives in Berlin and works internationally as an independent artist. His work focuses on an interdisciplinary approach that connects physical theatre, dance, circus, and visual art, using humour as a means of reflecting on contemporary issues.

His creations explore the interplay between body and material, (de)construction, comedy and circus, new materiality, and the ontology of humans and objects. Humour functions both as a tool of resilience and as a creative driving force through which he examines current issues, metaphors, and the absurdities of everyday life.

Marie Gourdain

Marie Gourdain is a choreographer, scenographer, and visual artist originally from Paris, who has been based in Prague since 2010. She studied film animation at the French École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (ENSAD).

As a scenographer, she has collaborated with numerous contemporary dance companies and choreographers. Since 2015, she has been a member of the collective tYhle, which focuses on physical theatre and dance.