Miscellaneous

Independent Scene

Resilience

Physical therapy is now a standard offering at most state and municipal theaters. In the independent theater scene, however, the know-how is often simply lacking. To remedy this situation, Laura Sommerfeld, managing director of the Stuttgart "Produktionszentrum Tanz + Performance" in collaboration with Hannah Störzer, responsible for public relations, has devised an initiative that, thanks to a grant from the City's Cultural Office, will enable greater knowledge sharing. Initially, this will take the form of lectures and workshops. For example, physician and ballet dancer Cindy Keller (in cooperation with the dance medicine association ta.med) provided information on Dance Medicine." Sports scientist Anja Ofenstein focused on "Mental Health in Dance," while psychotherapist Eva-Maria Kraft emphasized balanced nutrition. A workshop titled "Stressing Out and Burning Out" by choreographer Luísa Saraiva, explored the vagus nerve, which is so important for the mental and physical well-being of dancers. The stated goal of the production center is not only to offer a permanent program of lectures and workshops on the topic of resilience. The initiators also consider the creation of a supra-regional network, including a list of contact points and addresses, to be essential. A start has certainly been made, even if the "Development Driver for Culture" (as the city's fund is so aptly named) will conclude with a workshop on 10 December. In it, director Heike Scharpff and cultural consultant Alina Gause will present career models for surviving crises without compromising one's health.

Hartmut Regitz

www.produktionszentrum.de