About Breath (Atem)

Conceived & directed by Ismaël Dia, this is a rare insight into a choreographer’s work from a very different perspective, through this auditory landscape.

Speakers are arranged in the exact same dimensions as the physical stage area in The Rite Of Spring. As you stand in the space, without Stravinsky’s score or live dancers, the sounds that surround you are of the earth, the breath and the pure physicality of the dancer’s movements – as they perform the choreography invisibly around you.

Breath (Atem) invites you to dive deep in the choreography and musicality produced just by the sound of the dance. This exploration invites you to feel the rhythmic intricacy and emotional depth of the piece in a whole new way, allowing the musicality of bodies in motion to resonate deeply within you as you move around the studio.

Breath was recorded on the stage of the Opernhaus in Wuppertal during a performance of The Rite Of Spring in January 2023, with the company of dancers currently performing at Sadler’s Wells.

Artistic Team & Credits / Breath

Concept Ismaël Dia
Recording Thomas Dickmeis, Andreas Eisenschneider and Dirk Specht
Mixing Dirk Specht
Artistic Direction Jorge Puerta Armenta and Clémentine Deluy

Dancers
Dovi Afi Anique Ayiboe, Adjo Delali Foli, Serge Arthur Dodo, Zadi Landry Kipre, Khadija Cisse, Profit Lucky, Harivola Rakotondrasoa, Luciene Cabral, Gloria Biachi, Vasco Mirine, Brian Oloo, Pacome Landry Seka, Tom Jules Samie, Aoufice Junior Gouri, Kouassi Rodolphe Allui, Asanda Ruda, Stephanie Mwamba, B Abdoul Aziz Zoundi, Sidnoma Florent Nikiema, Amadou Lamine Sow, Inas Dasylva, Astou Diop, Amy Collé Seck, Sonia Constable, Gueassa Eva Sibi, Christie Dossou, Carmelita Siwa, Oliva Randrianasolo, Babacar Mane, Shelly Tetely Ohene-Nyako

The recording and production of Breath were funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the Stadtsparkasse Wuppertal.

Special thanks
Daniel Siekhaus, Karsten Fischer, Fernando Jacon, Jörg Ramershoven, Lay Kane, Anne-Marie Bigby, Petra Leidner, Adam Carrée, Sophie Delahaye, Hannah Gibbs, Ghislaine Granger, Clara Jansen-Bauer, Stefan Bauer, Leo Hartmann, Sala Seddiki , Gerburg Stoffel

Artistic Team & Credits / The Rite of Spring

Choreography Pina Bausch
Music Igor Stravinsky
Original Set and Costume Design Rolf Borzik
Collaboration Hans Pop
World Premiere 3 December 1975, Opera House Wuppertal
Restaging
Artistic Directors Jo Ann Endicott, Jorge Puerta Armenta, Clémentine Deluy
Rehearsal Directors Çağdaş Ermiş, Ditta Miranda Jasjfi, Barbara Kaufmann, Julie Shanahan, Kenji Takagi

Dancers
Rodolphe Allui, Anique Ayiboe, Gloria Ugwarelojo Biachi, Sonia Zandile Constable, Rokhaya Coulibaly, Inas Dasylva, Astou Diop, Serge Arthur Dodo, Franne Christie Dossou, Yoro Fallet, Estelle Foli, Alexandre Garcia, Aoufice Junior Gouri, Manuella Kouassi, Bazoumana Kouyaté, Profit Lucky, Babacar Mané, Vasco Pedro Mirine, Stéphanie Mwamba, Florent Nikiéma, Shelly Ohene-Nyako, Brian Otieno Oloo, Harivola Rakotondrasoa, Oliva Randrianasolo (Nanie), Tom Jules Samie, Amy Collé Seck, Pacôme Landry Seka, Gueassa Eva Sibi, Carmelita Siwa, Amadou Lamine Sow, Didja Kady Tiemanta, Aziz Zoundi

TECHNICAL TEAM
Head of Production Adam Carrée
Production Manager / Relighter Marius Arnold-Clarke
Stage Manager Emma Cameron
The Rite of Spring Company Manager Laye Kane
Head of Stage Jeffery Mitchell
Head of Sound Dan Harmer
Head of Lighting Joe Pilling
Wardrobe Manager Anne-Marie Bigby
Stage Swing Technician Hex Emalia
Osteopath Alexandra Haydon
Costume Maker Petra Leidner
Costume Assistants Mariola Kopczynski (Dakar), Silvia Franco (Wuppertal)

PRODUCERS
For Pina Bausch Foundation
Founder and Board of Directors Salomon Bausch
Board of Directors Simone Rust
Director of Archives Ismaël Dia
Project Manager Gertraud Johne
Communications Ana Djokic
Education and Outreach Kathrin Peters

For École des Sables
Founders Germaine Acogny and Helmut Vogt
Manager Helmut Vogt
Technical Production Manager Didier Delgado
Production Stan Mandef, Mame Bousso MBaye
Coordinator Paul Sagne
Casting/Adviser Patrick Acogny
Accounting Phillipe Bocandé
Communications Eleine de Graça-Sccientia