:: program I am interested in showing that people, with the help of their intelligence and character, are fully capable of making the conscious decision to enter into the dimensions they have determined and to operate within them and change with them, without negating or diminishing their own humanity. Thomas Lehmen In distanzlos, Thomas Lehmen, mining his old notebooks, presents ideas and concepts that he was never able to realize. He tells stories, shows what he wanted to do with certain ideas at one time, crawls across the stage with a microphone, and lets the audience share in his dreams. The piece, distanzlos, is about the reasons why art doesn't work like life and how reality seems somehow less real in the artificial context of the stage. The solo performance attracted a lot of attention at the German Dance Platform in 2000 in Hamburg and has since been one of the internationally most successful works in the German independent scene. The performance that never was and that we nonetheless watch, is entirely engaging because of Lehmen’s commitment and unruly energy. Gerald Siegmund, Dance Europe, March 2000 April 4 + 5 8:00 p.m. Thomas Lehmen distanzlos Text/ Choreography/ Concept: Thomas Lehmen, Technical Director: Götz Dihlmann Production: Thomas Lehmen, Petra Roggel, Co-produced by: Bergen Internasjonale Teater, supported by Fonds Darstellende Künste Essen, additional support provided by Podewil, Theater am Halleschen Ufer and TanzWerkstatt Berlin www.thomaslehmen.de Biographical Information Thomas Lehmen, born in Oberhausen in 1963, attended the School for New Dance Development in Amsterdam from 1986-1990, where in addition to dance he pursued interests in music and kung fu. During his training, he soon took charge of the concept, choreography, and music composition for various solo, duet and group pieces. Since 1990 he has been living in Berlin and working as a dancer, choreographer, theater and film performer, light designer, teacher, and carpenter. His successful production, distanzlos, premiered in October 1999. His group piece, mono subjects, was shown during his residency at Podewil in 200I and subsequently toured extensivly. A selection of Lehmen's own projects: 1990/91 Core Cracker (music piece); 1992 Zanx, 1993 Brainsand (duo); 1995 Moleskine (duo), International Dance Festival Montpellier Danse; 1997 EXTENDED VERSION THU Berlin; 1998 friendly fire and No Fear; THU Berlin; 1999 Baustelle. Einfahrt freihalten commissioned by the Goethe Institute in Tallinn in cooperation with the Estonian Summer Dance Company and Von Krahl Theatre, distanzlos premiere in Berlin, tour in Europe, Brazil, and Hong Kong; 2000 One table, two chairs with Makoto Matsushima in cooperation with House of the Cultures of the World Berlin and the Hong Kong Arts Festival; 2001 mono subjects at the Podewil Berlin and Clever a work commissioned and premiered in Lancaster. Fotos: Thomas Aurin :: program