How did you come to the field of cultural education and outreach work, and what is your personal connection to it?
I come neither from dance nor from art, but from social work. In general, I would say that the content of what you do in these formats doesn’t really matter. Whether you dance together, build something together, or cook – it’s about belonging. The people who come here are extremely marginalized, both in terms of who they are and the environment they live in. It even shows in the architecture that surrounds them. They have strong structures in their communities, but outside of that they are not connected. So we are asking ourselves how we can create workshop formats that function as a kind of corridor toward participation in other spheres of life in Berlin. If they have the experience that this is their place and their event, that can set something in motion. If you can remember what is shared, then you are part of the city. And right now, many people here are not part of the city. But it would make our city better if everyone who lives in this city can participate.
How did you experience the time with the Mobiler Tanzsaal?
I think that the simpler and more open the workshop offer is, and the fewer rules there are, the more people are interested in taking part, because they think: I can go there, and I can also leave again if I want to. I don’t have to be afraid of being kicked out again; it’s related to my own interests. And then I also identify myself with it and then it’s my thing that I do. I believe that dance is well suited to these processes because on the one hand it takes courage to move your body in front of others, and because dance can function as a universal non-verbal language. What I have often observed in dance formats is a kind of work across styles and ages. For example, when dancing, people spontaneously switch from hip-hop to Afghan pop music, and yet somehow it works together.
Where should dance education and outreach work in Berlin go, what do you think is important for the future?
Above all, we need places where something like this can take place. I think dance education often fails because of the lack of venues in public space. I’m also not sure whether something always has to become permanent, because something new can always pop up. Of course, continuity is a good thing, but I don’t think that all institutions, sponsors and associations are equally well suited. If, for example, an arts and culture institution draws attention to a precarious, marginalized situation, this institution does not automatically have to be responsible for the long-term maintenance of the youth-welfare infrastructure that addresses this situation. I think some groups are better at campaigning, and others are better at implementation. And that’s why, first and foremost, places are needed that can then be used for a variety of purposes, and possibly on a temporary basis.