Choreografy: Célestine Hennermann
Dance: Katharina Wiedenhofer und Albi Gika
Double Bass/Composition: Gregor Praml
Space/costumes: sounds of silence
(Susanne Kessler/Petra Eichler)
Dramaturgy/Production: Claudia Praml
Light: Jörg Poppe
Announcement Liliane Praml
Concept & idea: Célestine Hennermann/Claudia Praml
Premiere: 27. September 2013
im tanzhaus nrw Düsseldorf
a dance piece for children aged 2+
for 2 dancers and 1 double bass
miniMAX
The two dancers Katharina Wiedenhofer and Albi Gika discover together with double bass player Gregor Praml the world of opposites and differences: big/small, thick/ thin, heavy/light, loud/quiet, stop/action. As the performers repeatedly play traditional children’s games from Hinkel box to tightrope, these contrasts are explored through dance and music. Different shapes, colors, and lines design the stage creating a clear theatrical setup for these children’s games to manifest.
miniMAX starts on a scale taking young viewers on a journey. Wiedenhofer, a trained dancer, plays along with the B-Boy Gika’s various dance styles: contests, measuring oneself, competition, and also coming together. In addition to the dance, the double bass is played in all its contrariness – loud and soft, high and low, live and prerecorded, picked and loud knocking until absolute silence. The music also becomes an element in charge and the childlike soundscape enables the young audience to enter into and perceive a world of contrast.
MiniMAX is the third dance production for the very small by Frankfurt choreographer Célestine Hennermann. She developed the concept for this production together with dramaturg Claudia Praml.
MiniMAX was awarded with the Karfunkel 2015, the children and youth theater prize of the city of Frankfurt.
„That Hennermann is specialized in dance theater for the youngest audience, is noted with ”miniMAX „. A few strong objects as well as simple expressive dance, little text and clear images create just the right mix to keep the youngest stimulating at the bar, but also to address older children and adults.“
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 25.2.2014
„Remarkably calm, most (children) sit; some mimic individual movements, others rock when Gregor Praml plays the most beautiful melodies from his double bass.“
The German Stage, 11/2013
„The two dancers and the musician on the double bass know how to arouse the attention even of the skeptics in an endearing way. And after the performance, they are all courageous enough to move on the playing surface, build and jump, feel well on stage.“
Dresdner Neuste Nachrichten, 7.7.2014