Bodies

For the first dance evening at the Großes Haus, Marcel Leemann and Caroline Finn place the body at the center of their work: sometimes as an empty shell, sometimes as a home for the mind and soul, and sometimes as a status symbol. 

Meat Market
In Marcel Leemann’s *Meat Market*, the focus is on a market-oriented interpretation of the art and culture scene. The dancers become mass-produced commodities, presenting themselves directly before the judgmental eyes of the audience. Which side of themselves must they show, and how far must they go to win favor? Every moment becomes a decision; every movement and every smile is seen as a chance to score points with the audience. In the end, however, *Meat Market* makes it clear that true beauty and the value of art lie beyond superficial marketing. It is a call not to view art and culture as commodities, but as expressions of the human soul.

Over My Dead Body
Does life end with the last breath or with the soul’s departure from the body? Over My Dead Body by Caroline Finn explores this question through expressive, physical dance. We see two worlds in constant flux: a morgue inhabited by the dead, and a room filled with veiled objects and memories of the living. Initially isolated from one another, these universes—along with their inhabitants—begin to merge more and more. In the midst of it all, two morgue employees go about their daily work with the deceased. A task they perform with sensitivity, respect, and care. As the boundaries between life and death begin to blur, the two employees’ daily rituals intertwine with the memories and longings that remain after the end of a life.

Caroline Finn approaches these spaces and themes with a darkly humorous sensibility. The combination of an imposing set design and a rich soundtrack lends the work a cinematic aesthetic and invites the audience to lose themselves in the danced imagery.