A dance production by Christine Brunel
The original idea and inspiration for this new work sprang from the imaginations of children and young people in the city of Essen. Since autumn 1998, Tanztheater Christine Brunel has been touring schools in Essen with a performance that introduces children and young people to the world of dance in words and movement called ›The dancer's workshop‹ (Die Werkstatt der Tänzer). At the end of each performance the children can suggest a theme or story line for a new choreography. Christine Brunnel has collected their imaginative and often remarkable ideas and taken the title for her latest work from the enthusiastic suggestions of a young boy: ›yeah, then circles, in every direction, all over the room, with lots of dancers‹.

In ›Ja, dann, Kreise‹ (›Yeah, then circles‹) three dancers explore and bring to life a kaleidoscope of children's ideas.

Dedicated to the children and young people of the city of Essen

Background


To date, Tanztheater Christine Brunel has performed in more than thirty schools. For many children and young people, these performances represent their first exposure to »that kind of thing«. The general consensus of opinion is that watching dance is a positive experience for the children. Their interpretations of the happenings are remarkably imaginative and their comments range from the amusing to the thoughtful and serious. They assimilate dance in highly individual and immediate ways and their comments are refreshingly direct and honest: »dance doesn't always have to be fast«, »great«, »boring«, when the dancers go off in different directions and don't dance together it looks like a busy shopping centre!", »that was beautiful«. 
Stimulated by what they see, the children and young people come up with not only imaginative but also clear and concrete suggestions for new choreographies.

Approach


»Ever since we began visiting schools to perform »The dancer's workshop«, I've planned to base a new choreography on the ideas that I've gathered from the children and young people we've been meeting. The children's wonderful input and tremendous enthusiasm for my idea to make a dance based on their suggestions was the best encouragement possible in realising »Ja, dann, Kreise«.
Christine Brunel

Goal


The project's goal is to visualise and express children's and young people's ideas in dance language. In the process, the innate value of children's insight as well as their very own metaphors, ideas and wishes are duly recognised. Therefore, the piece is dedicated to all the children and young people whose creativity has inspired the choreographer Christine Brunel. Moreover, just as in Tanztheater Christine Brunel's, »The dancer's workshop«, this project really brings dance art closer to children and young people.

Some of the children's suggestions


Lars, 9 years old, class 4, Bodelschwinghschule: »A calm dance to a solo violin.«

Fenja, 16 years old, class 12, Theodor-Heuss-Gymnasium: »Spring, with three dancers and classical music. Spring's costume should definitely be a green dress.«

Christiane, 16 years old, class 12, Theodor-Heuss-Gymnasium: »The underworld, dark music, one main male dancer who dances fear and three female dancers who show the threat.«

Gülnur, 15 years old, Gustav-Heinemann-Gesamtschule: »... conflict, two dancers, music with a lot of bass and black and white costumes.«

Timo, 4 years old, Großenbruchschule, Would like a fire dance

Henrik, 9 years old, class 3, Großenbruchschule, Found everything he saw too slow but, nevertheless, would like a snow dance.

Katharine, 10 years old, class 4, Bonifatius Schule: »A red tulip and bird song.«

Annika, 9 years old, class 3, Bonifatius Schule: »... a planet with two dancers and very soft music.«

Dennis, 9 years old, class 3, Grundschule Nordviertel: »Yeah, then circles, in every direction, all over the room, with lots of dancers.«

Patrizia, 8 years old, class 3, Grundschule Nordviertel: »Something from nature should come out of the circles, like animals, plants or trees. And music like we just heard (Bach's French suites)... ... something should be painted on the costumes, nothing like a tree of course but something that reminds us of nature.«

»Then we need a meadow!« announced nine-year-old Gina, »the dancer for that will need to have even longer hair.«