David Brandstätter's FRE!HEIT Comes to CounterPulse

The San Francisco International Arts Festival (SFIAF) is pleased to present the US debut of German choreographer, David Brandstätter of French based shiftsart in movement. This US premiere presentation of FRE!HEIT (freedom in English) is a solo performance that poses questions about freedom to the audience.

FRE!HEIT is inspired by questions Brandstätter asked himself following his fathers passing.

"One week after my father had finally died, I asked myself:
What does "freedom" actually mean to me? What did
I really want in my past, when I was craving for more
freedom? And what kinds of freedom had been the driving
force behind the important decisions of my life? And how
shall I relate to this word in the future?"

-David Brandstätter

David Brandstätter's work is rooted in cross disciplinary performance (circus, dance, physical theatre and music). In FREI!HEIT he blends the attributes of each of these elements with enquiries about freedom and democracy to create a work about both the conscious and unconscious manifestations of them in practice. The piece is showing to the audience the questions he attempted to answer with abstract motions to make multiple socio-political points.

Inspired by moments of dialogue and personal experience, Brandstätter portrays a vision of freedom through mind, space and body. A balance between text, sound and visual installation; Freiheit is a ritual of questioning and liberating the imagination.

For an hour Brandstätter's body remains in fragile suspension, balanced on white porcelain cups that he deploys into allegorical constellations. The restriction of movement frames the concept of freedom as a conscious struggle, process or tangible action.

For the San Francisco production Brandstätter will collaborate with singer and composer Michelle Jacques to create an original live vocal and music accompaniment.

Calendar Editors Please Note
Who: David Brandstätter, Michelle Jacques
What: FRE!HEIT (2014, US Premiere)
Where:CounterPulse, 80 Turk St, SF
Date & Time: Fri-Sat, June 17-18, 8:00pm, Sun June 19, 2:00pm

Duration: 60 minutes
Tickets: Advance Price: $20. Door: $25. Full-Time Students and Seniors: $18. Tickets on-sale March 15.
Box Office and Information: https://www.sfiaf.org/2022_david_brandstatter or 415-399-9554.

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