Friedemann is thrilled to announce that "Soul Threads" - his first full-length co-creation with Thomas Lempertz - will have its Italian premiere in the 2024 Spoleto Festival, following two runs in Germany at the Kleist Forum. The performances will take place from 5 to 7 July at San Simone and tickets will go on sale from 27 March.
DANCE ON! a new film on ARTE TV
For many, aging is a sensitive subject, but for dancers, an even more delicate one, considering the enormous toll on their bodies from years of extreme physical exertion. Friedemann is pleased to have the chance in this new ARTE documentary “Dance On!” to share his perspective on dancing into his forties, his appreciation of how the experience that comes with age can enrich one’s artistry, and his conviction - which keeps him going – that the best is yet to come.
“Dance On!”, in which Friedemann is featured as one of the protagonists alongside Polina Semionova, William Moore, and Gesine Moog, will premiere on ARTE on 20th November.
PHYSICAL CONVERSATION – the Exhibition
While the theatres remain shut, Friedemann continues to explore new ways of bringing dance to the public. Last year, he collaborated with Oliver Kröning on "Physical Conversation" - a visual dialogue between a dancer and a photographer, both storytellers using their respective art forms. The limited edition art box comprising photos of Friedemann captured at unlikely locations during the lockdown to raise funds for the Olgäle Stiftung – Foundation for Sick Children.
“Physical Conversation” returns next week, this time as a photo exhibition in the museum garden of the StadtPalais – Museum for Stuttgart, where visitors will have the chance to enjoy dance through the images, each one a fragment of a story open to interpretation.
Curated by the Galerie Kernweine, the exhibition will take place from 9th May until 30th June, with a digital opening live streamed via Facebook and Instagram on 8th May at 19h00.
Friedemann Vogel by Oliver Kröning
MESSAGE AUTHOR FOR INTERNATIONAL DANCE DAY 2021
Friedemann feels very honoured to be selected by the International Theatre Institute to give the official International Dance Day message this year. As a dancer, he is more used to communicating through movement, but hopes that his message can help in some way to boost the much-needed sense of solidarity in the dance community at this very challenging time, and shine a light on the importance of dance in the world, now more than ever.
Friedemann Vogel’s Message for International Dance Day on April 29th, 2021
Everything starts with movement – an instinct we all have – and dance is movement refined to communicate. Much as flawless technique is important and impressive, it is ultimately what the dancer expresses inside the movement that is the essence.
As dancers, we are constantly on the move, aspiring to create these unforgettable moments. Regardless of the dance genre, it’s what every dancer strives to achieve. So, when all of a sudden, we aren’t allowed to perform anymore, with theatres closed and festivals cancelled, our worlds come to a standstill. No physical contact. No shows. No audiences. Never in recent history has the dance community been so collectively challenged to stay motivated, to find our raison d’être.
Yet, it is precisely when something precious has been taken away from us that we truly appreciate how vital it is what we do, and how much dance means to society at large. Dancers are often celebrated for their physical prowess, when in fact we are sustained even more by our mental strength. I believe it is this unique combination of physical and psychological agility that will help us overcome, to reinvent ourselves to keep dancing, and to keep inspiring.