Dance On Ensemble
“A Suite of Dances” – Noa Eshkol
“A Day in the Studio” – Noé Soulier

German Premiere
August 11, 20:30 H
August 12, 19:30 H
Muffathalle

Tickets August 11, 2026Tickets August 12, 2026

Tickets
25–35 EUR / 20 EUR (reduced rate)
 

Barrier-free

Introductory lecture by Gabriele Kroos on August 11 at 19:00 H
Movement-based introduction with Laura Böttinger on August 11 at 19:50 H

Support: National Performance Network Touring Support for Dance, funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, as well as the state ministries of culture and the arts

“A Suite of Dances – A Day in the Studio” is the fourth installment in the “Replies” series, in which the Dance On Ensemble invites contemporary artists to reexamine significant works of modern and postmodern dance. Following earlier editions dedicated to Merce Cunningham and Mathilde Monnier, Lucinda Childs and Panzetti / Ticconi as well as Martha Graham and Tim Etchells, the ensemble now turns to the work of Noa Eshkol (1924–2007). Her formally precise, complexly structured compositions enter into dialogue with a new creation by choreographer Noé Soulier.

Eshkol’s work was based on a deep understanding of the body, space, and movement. Together with architect Avraham Wachman, she developed the Eshkol-Wachman Movement Notation (EWMN), an innovative system for describing and analyzing movement. With the founding of the Noa Eshkol Chamber Dance Group in 1954, she laid the foundation for the continuous development of her work. For the first time, her choreographies are now being interpreted by dancers outside this group. Under the direction of Mor Bashan and Dror Shoval, the Dance On Ensemble explores the movement principles and poetic power of Eshkol’s work through selected pieces from the 1960s and 1970s.

In the second part of the evening, Noé Soulier takes up Eshkol’s interest in geometry and spatial organization and creates an original choreography as a contemporary reply to it. In “A Day in the Studio,” he explores actions such as striking, dodging, or throwing beyond their original purpose, revealing their dynamics, tension, and emotional impact. The choreography combines precise structure with openness to spontaneous decisions and evolves from the interaction among the dancers as well as the relationships between bodies, space, and movement.

The Dance On Ensemble was founded in 2015 by the Berlin-based cultural Organisation Bureau Ritter and celebrates the artistic excellence of dancers over 40. In collaboration with internationally renowned choreographers and directors, including Rabih Mroué, Lucinda Childs, Meg Stuart and Jan Martens, the Dance On Ensemble develops a programme of innovative and challenging contemporary dance works. The aim is to create a solid foundation for a rich and ambitious repertoire for dancers aged 40 and over.

Noa Eshkol was a choreographer, dance pedagogue, and textile artist. Together with Avraham Wachman, she developed the Eshkol-Wachman Movement Notation System and collaborated across disciplines with artists and scientists. Her approach to dance was marked by a focus on the essential: by recognizing each movement and every part of the body in its full autonomy and complexity, she opened a vast space for creative diversity in choreographic composition. Her work continues to influence contemporary choreographic and performative practices to this day.

Mor Bashan is an archivist, head of the research department at the Noa Eshkol Foundation for Movement Notation, and an active dancer with the Noa Eshkol Chamber Dance Group. In her dual role as researcher and performer, she bridges practical bodily knowledge with a deep understanding of the theoretical foundations of Noa Eshkol’s movement notation system. Her work makes a vital contribution to preserving, teaching, and advancing Eshkol’s choreographic and scientific legacy.

Noé Soulier’s work explores choreography and dance in different settings, including the stage, the museum space and theoretical reflection. He thus develops a practice that is both conceptual and deeply rooted in movement, reflecting his educational background, which combines dance (Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris, National Ballet School of Canada, P.A.R.T.S) and theory (Master’s degree in philosophy from the University of Paris Sorbonne). Performed all over the world at renowned venues such as Théâtre National de Chaillot (Paris), Sadler’s Wells (London), Performa (New York), Tanz im August (Berlin), he has also choreographed for many companies: Ballet du Rhin, Ballet de Lorraine, L.A. Dance Project, Lyon Opera Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater and Trisha Brown Dance Company. In July 2020, he took the direction of Cndc – Angers (National center for contemporary dance), a unique institution in the choreographic field that brings together a center for choreographic creation, a graduate school of contemporary dance and a dance program.

Credits:

Dance On Ensemble
A Suite of Dances – Noa Eshkol
A Day in the Studio – Noé Soulier

A Suite of Dances – Noa Eshkol
Dance compositions / Choreography: Noa Eshkol
Rehearsal direction: Mor Bashan (The Noa Eshkol Chamber Dance Group)
Assistant rehearsal director: Dror Shoval (The Noa Eshkol Chamber Dance Group)
Performance: Javier Arozena, Alba Barral Fernández, Anna Herrmann, Dominic Santia, Gesine Moog, Lia Witjes Poole, Marco Volta (5 dancers in rotating cast)
Lighting: Martin Beeretz
Sound Design: Mattef Kuhlmey
Costumes: Werkstattkollektiv 
Technical Direction: Martin Beeretz
Selected pieces from Noa Eshkol’s dance suite “Theme and Variations”: 
Jacob Rachel and Lea (2) (early 1960s), Duet (5) (early 1960s), Skilla (6) (early 1960s), Fugue (0) (early 1970s), March (1) (early 1960s), Minuet (0,3) (early 1960s)

A Day in the Studio – Noé Soulier
Choreography: Noé Soulier
Performance: Javier Arozena, Alba Barral Fernández, Anna Herrmann, Dominic Santia, Gesine Moog, Lia Witjes Poole, Marco Volta (5 dancers in rotating cast)
Lighting: Martin Beeretz
Costumes: Chiara Valle Vallomini
Music: A Day in the Studio, Hanne Lippard (2020); Portals, Jana Irmert (2025); Phase III, Lucy Railton (2025)
Sound: Mattef Kuhlmey
Technical Director: Martin Beeretz

Artistic Director, Dance On Ensemble: Ty Boomershine
Production, Dance On Ensemble: Anastasia Luck (Production Manager), Valentin Braun (Production Assistant) 
Production, Cndc: Céline Chouffot, Adèle Thébault
International Distribution: Chalmont Agency

Production: DANCE ON / Bureau Ritter 
In collaboration with Cndc Angers.  
As part of the 10th anniversary of the Dance On Ensemble.

Supported by the German Federal Cultural Foundation. Funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.
As part of DanceMap, funded by Horizon Europe, the European Union’s framework program for research and innovation. 
DANCE ON is a project by BUREAU RITTER, funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.