Songs and Dances about the Weather

songs & dances about the weather

the foundation of the piece is based on interviews with rainmakers, including the mother of ugandan dancer Michael kaddu, and climate data regarding the shrinking glaciers in the high mountains. the goal is to narrate the often complex data of climate research in a theatrical context, creating experiential connections to people. to achieve this, we attempt to poetically visualize real climate data, using Holovision, an innovative projection method, to generate spatial effects. thus, the piece combines the visual, "cold" world of melting glaciers with a contemporary rain ritual consisting of dance, singing, and holographic projections.

in many regions of Africa, there is a long tradition of rain rituals, but some, like nigerian dancers, lack a word for glaciers or snow in their local languages. Meanwhile, the glaciers on the African continent are expected to be among the first to completely disappear. Although "rainmaking" is still very present in these cultures, it is losing significance. for example, the mother of dancer Michael kaddu was a respected rainmaker for a long time until she entered the church and stopped practicing.

Rain rituals should not be reduced solely to magical folklore. they are based on observations of the environment and nature to understand signs of weather changes. additionally, they represent an attempt to cope with the social challenges of drought and dryness. the stresses brought about by prolonged dry periods for local communities are diverse, encompassing both practical and spiritual aspects. during the heatwave in 2022, Germany experienced firsthand the social challenges posed by extreme weather phases. the numerous "heat action plans" of countries and municipalities can ultimately be seen as "rainmaking" rituals for complex societies.

in the piece, we now connect the vocabulary of such rituals with the poetic representation of climate data on melting glaciers. using the Holovision technique, projections overlay both layers, creating a dance piece with elements of digital theater

text by company christoph winkler