Michael Maurissens will lead a
Master Class at the 11th edition of the
Bengaluru International Film Festival 2019 (BIFFes). The 2-hour session will run as follows:
Film screening
The Body as Archive
Documentary 49 min.
© Michael Maurissens
The Body as Archive is based on research that considers ways in which the dancer’s body can be regarded as archive. A few hypotheses are intended as a frame of its research; is the body of a dancer only a repository of forms of usage? Dancers create, accumulate and carry knowledge - where is it stored and what do they explore through their practice? Is it possible to locate kinetic knowledge and understand its connection between subjective vision and objective realisation? How do cultural and social contexts reflect in the body of a dancer? The film explores the role of dancer in the preservation of collective knowledge, its transmission and accessibility.
Physical introduction
25 min.
Being a dancer himself, Michael believes it would be an inspiring opportunity to experience physically the topics presented in the film. He will lead a short physical practice session, consisting of 3 group exercises. The practice focuses on body awareness, physical communication and the relation between the body and its surrounding. The exercises do not require dance or any specific skills.
Artist Talk
40 min.
The artist will introduce the original ideas of the film, its making and its goals before opening up to a discussion with the audience.
© Michael Maurissens
Michael Maurissens was born in Brussels, where he began his dance training. He studied at the Heinz-Bosl-Stiftung in Munich and the Professional BalletSschool in Zurich. He has danced with Ballet Nürnberg/Tanzwerk Nürnberg, Amanda Miller’s Ballett Freiburg Pretty Ugly, Mannheimer Ballett and pretty ugly tanz köln.
He graduated from the Academy of Media Arts Cologne in2013, his studies focused on scenography, applied visual arts and documentary filmmaking. He directs and produces films, experimental video works, performance documentations and involves himself in collaborative visual art projects.
He is the co-artistic director of the Michael Douglas Kollektiv - a unique dance collective that breaks from the standard form of choreographer-led groups and is co-initiator of the Zentrum für Austausch und Innovation Köln, a structure that supports exchange, research and artist development in the field of contemporary dance.
© Michael Maurissens
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