Mascot

Interactive performance for children ages 6-8 (ca. 1 hour)

Commissioned and produced by Norrdans (SE), premiere and tour 2021-2022

Performed as a part of Bästa Biennalen in collaboration with Östra Göinge municipality

October 2023

 

What if your mascot had eight legs? Or a tree in its stomach? What if it ate spray-painted superfruit for lunch? Or if its spine was a python? What if its pelvis was a glittering ship sailing the world's oceans? Or if it had a tape player in its head? What kind of dances would it dance? How would it move?

 

Maskot is a 40-minute dance experience for children ages 6-8. The children are taken on a physical and sculptural exploration in and outside of their classroom. Guided by three dancers, they are given the opportunity to explore identity by, among other things, creating their own mascot; a symbolic figure who also becomes their dance teacher.

 

Mascot is a dance teacher. Mascot is a dream teacher. Mascot is a figment of every child's imagination. Mascot is a plastic sculpture built from trash. Mascot is embodied by the dancers and created by the audience. Mascot is neither boy nor girl, human nor animal or robot. Mascot is the name of what we build together.

 

Choreographer: Rachel Tess

Dancers: Malika Ali, Eva Schmechtig, Lander Casier

Light: Uli Ruchlinski and Rachel Tess

Sound: Uli Ruchlinski and the dancers

Artistic consultant/Rehearsal director: Patricia Vázquez Iruretagoyena