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Gerda König and her DIN A 13 dance company aim to promote an exchange between cultures and establish dance ensembles on various continents where artistes with physical disabilities can dance. Her latest project – “patterns beyond traces” – has been developed by the choreographer together with the Dance Factory in Accra, Ghana. The piece was premiered in March but it is now going on tour in Germany, supported by the Peter Ustinov Foundation.

When the four men and one women in “patterns beyond traces” move around the stage, traditional rituals and urban realities come up against each other. The dancers from Ghana give a virtuoso performance as they convey the meaning that handed-down tales and legends have for their everyday existence. Old and new patterns come together. It is all about trust and rejection, fear and fascination – in a world full of cultural overlaps and contradictions. It is also about a new aesthetic impetus in contemporary dance, where beauty that goes beyond immaculate comes to the fore: this is because the three physically disabled members of the ensemble have a perfect command of their art.



The choreograph Gerda König and her DIN A 13 dance company have enriched the world of dance since 1995. With what are described as “mixed-abled” performances, which involve both healthy and physically disabled dancers, she scrutinises common viewing habits and aesthetic ideas. At the same time, she examines taboos in society and encourages an interchange between cultures. To achieve this, the DIN A 13 dance company routinely works with dance ensembles from other countries. Following on from co-productions in Bulgaria, Slovenia, Brazil, Kenya and South Africa, the most recent cooperation was in relation to the “Patterns beyond traces” with the Dance Factory in Accra, the capital of Ghana.

The project celebrated its premiere in Ghana in March 2009. It can now be seen in Germany from the end of September to the middle of October. The Peter Ustinov Foundation supported the tour, which visited eight towns, including Cologne, Münster and Trier. “The artistic approach adopted by the choreography is in line with the criteria our Foundation uses to support projects. “Patterns beyond traces” contributes to equality among people – both those with and those without disabilities – and makes performing artistes with physical limitations visible to society and drives the dialogue between cultures,” is how Foundation Chairman Günter Conrad described it. After each performance the audience had an opportunity to talk to the artistes about the project and the culture in Ghana.

The tour in Germany started on 25 September at the Studiobühne in Cologne. Gerda König then took her ensemble to a further seven cities. Here is an overview of all the dates:
25/26 September 2009. Studiobühne, Cologne
28 September. Waggonhalle, Marburg
2 October. Schankhalle, Bremen
9 October DansArt, Bielefeld
14 October. Pumpenhaus, Münster
15 October Theater im Depot, Dortmund
16 October Flottmann-Halle, Herne
18 October TUFA, Trier

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