Frank Willens
“From Within and Without”
August 10 – 14, 2026
9.30 – 11.30 H
Muffathalle Studios
Zellstraße 4
Studio E
Beginners
In German & English
How does a body dance when it is capable of doing anything at any moment? How do we decide how to begin? Where does the movement come from, and where does it lead? Is it a decision we make, or does it come from somewhere beyond our control? What role do the others in the room play, or the room itself – the architecture, the light, the air, the sounds? Is there such a thing as a personal dance at all, or are we all so fundamentally influenced by our surroundings and culture that our individuality becomes increasingly difficult to discern? Can the liberation in dance be a path to the liberation of the individual?
The questions sound big. Maybe they are big, but maybe not. In this workshop, you dance – you really dance. Frank Willens accompanies you on this journey and generously shares various tools, ideas, and techniques that have always supported him in his life as a professional dancer, performer, and choreographer. You will work with improvisation, elements from the performing arts, creative visualizations, and physical dynamics.
The course is open to everyone, but is particularly suitable for beginners or for people with no formal dance experience. It is structured so that everyone can find their own way to recognize and experience the dance within themselves.
Frank Willens has been performing on stage for 27 years. As a professional dancer, he began his career in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, appearing in the musical “Notre Dame de Paris” and touring with Paul McCartney. From 2003 to 2023, he lived in Berlin, where he worked closely with Meg Stuart, Tino Sehgal, Susanne Kennedy, Laurent Chétouane, Boris Charmatz, and Peter Stamer, as well as in numerous productions on Berlin’s independent dance scene. He was a permanent member of the ensemble at the Volksbühne in Berlin and has been a member of the Pina Bausch Dance Theater in Wuppertal since 2023. Alongside his career as a dancer he develops his own choreographic works.