Advertise on podcast: [8:tension] Young Choreographers’ Series – Podcast

Today’s guest is Alina Arshi. She presented her duet States of bewilderment at this year’s [8:tension] Series.   This conversation is about contradictions. And how to translate them into dance. About the double life of a migrated person, about the fight against the voice constantly saying "Who are you to...". It is about doing things, even though it seems not possible and about staying sane. If that is possible.   Alina Arshi and Almud Krejza met in July 2026 during ImPulsTanz Festival to record this episode. They recorded outside – at least that's where they started – and got interrupted several times, mostly by heavy rain. So please excuse the many additional noises and the frequently asked question: Where were we?

Today’s guest is Ehsan Hemat. His piece Everything brings us back to the body was invited to this year’s [8:tension] Series at ImPulsTanz – Vienna International Dance Festival. He told me about the times when his theater friend asked him to do a choreography – and he had to look up what choreography even means. When imported video tapes were his only source to see contemporary dance. How a broken foot started up his career, what gives him goosebumps, and how he made a copper plate his stage partner.   Almud Krejza met Ehsan Hemat in August 2026 during ImPulsTanz Festival to record this episode.  Upcoming Dates for Everything brings us back to the body: 17 October 2026, CC Ter Vesten Beveren, Belgium 29 October 2026, Rosendal Teater, Norway 07 November 2026 - Chassé Theater, Breda, Niederlande

Today’s guest is Wojciech Grudziński. He was invited with his solo performed by two called Cute & Akward to this year's [8:tension] Series.  We talked about making life decisions at the young age of 10, which options a dancer in Poland has to become contemporary. In which ways being abroad can strengthen your connection with your home country and how a local scene can change for the better even before political terms change. Almud Krejza talked to Wojciech Grudziński during ImPulsTanz Festival 2026.   Upcoming Dates: 14 & 15 October 2026, Birmingham: Threesome Fierce Festival 16 October 2026, Vienna: Welcome to 1030! Brut Wien Season Opening   21 October 2026, Gdynia: Cute & Akward Gdynia Municipal Theater

Today’s guest is Production Xx who’s work Gush is great was invited to this years [8:tension] Series.  They told us about the start of this piece, when the six of them did not know each other yet, but were invited to develop a piece together – within 5 days. We hear, how they found quite playful ways to fulfill this task and ended up becoming friends and collaborators and touring Gush is great for years.  Almud Krejza talked to Julie Botet, Simon Le Borgne, Max Gomard, Philomene Jander, Zoe Lakhnati, Ulysse Zangs and Dora Pentchev  during ImPulsTanz Festival 2025.

Today’s guest is Catol Teixeira, who’s work Arrebentação - zona de derrama last chapter was invited to this years [8:tension] Series.  Catol told us how close their way of choreographing is to their actual way of living. Why they choose to work with close friends and what it means to them to choreograph emotional zones. And Catol talked about how not planning a lot, but following instincts can bring you to places. Almud Krejza was talking with Catol during ImPulsTanz Festival 2025.

Today’s guest is Mufutau Yusuf who’s work Impasse was invited to this years’ [8:tension] Series.  He talked about the times when he, at age 17, was asked to join a tour to New York, about his urge to make his own work, and the difference of showing it in Europe or in Nigeria. About being seen or not and as what in society, and the unfair division of power over visibility. Almud Krejza was talking with Mufutau during ImPulsTanz Festival 2025.

Today’s guest is Luigi Guerrieri, who’s work Poor Guy was invited to this years [8:tension] Series. We talked about Narcisism, family issues and the freedom art can give. And how to handle unexpected circumstances like losing one‘s voice on the day of a premiere.  Almud Krejza was talking with Luigi during ImPulsTanz Festival 2025.

Today’s guest is Gui B.B, who’s work I Have Such a Horrible Voice was invited to this years [8:tension] Series.  Gui talked with me about precarity. How easily one can get in debt and what this does to a person. She talked about starting a lot of things but not finishing them, about taking risks and the blurry area between life and art.  Almud Krejza was talking with Gui during ImPulsTanz Festival 2025.

Today’s guest is Adam Russell-Jones, who’s work Release the hounds was invited to this years [8:tension] Series.  Adam told me about his transition from being a ballet dancer in big companies to making his own work as independent choreographer, about the attraction as well as danger of dancing until complete exhaustion. How the collaboration with musician Moritz Haas evolved and what a drunk stranger on the U8 in Berlin has to do with his piece. Almud Krejza was talking with Adam during ImPulsTanz Festival 2025.

Today’s guest is Mélissa Guex, who’s work DOWN (full album) was invited to this years [8:tension] Series.  She talked about her fascination for big crowds. About the magic of instant connection and how she met the drummer Clement Grin,  with whom she created the piece. How she sometimes prefers speaking with her body to speaking with her mouth. And the importance of warming up and accepting downs. Almud Krejza was talking with Mélissa during ImPulsTanz Festival 2025.

Today’s guest is Marika Peura, who’s work Amalgam Melee was invited to this year’s [8:tension] Series.  We talked about violence – and what difference it makes, who defines what violence is. About the longing for belonging. And how to appropriate a culture which is your own, but is still not very familiar. And about dynamics one cannot control, neither in real life nor on stage.  Almud Krejza was talking with Marika Peura during ImPulsTanz Festival 2025.

Today’s guests are Lisen Pousette and Olivia Rivière, the makers of the performance DUNKEL, which was invited to this year’s [8:tension] Series. We talked about the time when they met in choir school and how singing is their natural habitat. How they moved on from soprano and alto to heavy metal and growling and about their ongoing fascination with the deconstruction of the voice. Almud Krejza was talking with Lisen Pousette and Olivia Rivière during ImPulsTanz Festival 2025.

Today’s guest is Martina De Dominicis, who’s work Latente was invited to this years [8:tension] Series. Martina talked about nostalgia as something more than missing the past, but missing the future, which one thought would come but did not, about how fruitful it can be to trust in one‘s gut-feeling. And about the importance of unlearning as well as of doing things one can not do - yet. Almud Krejza was talking with Martian De Dominicis during ImPulsTanz Festival 2025.

Today’s guest is Matteo Haitzmann, composer and choreographer, who’s work Make it Count was invited to this years [8:tension] Series.  He told me which lessons from being a danceWEBber back in 2018 came in handy now, being back at the festival for a residency. How the restrictions during Corona times made him accidentally invent a new instrument. And which role the village he grew up in still plays for him when creating. Almud Krejza was talking with Matteo Haitzmann during ImPulsTanz FestivaL 2025.

Today’s guest is Netti Nüganen. Known to ImPulsTanz audiences as part of a number of Florentina Holzinger’s productions, she first presented one of her own performances at this year’s festival. Her piece The Myth: last day, a pseudo-archeological excavation turned punk concert, is an exercise in how history is constructed. With author Sean Pfeiffer, Nüganen further reflects on this intersection of fact and fiction. They also discuss how engaging with both text material and physical objects constitutes her performative practice.