Isabel Lewis, a Berlin based choreographer was invited by Karachi Biennale Trust and Goethe Institut to work with performance artists from Karachi, Jamshoro and Lahore. An open call was sent out to all the artists and applications were selected for artists to be a part of the workshop. The performance was a culmination of the two-day experimental workshop titled Communal Experience in Performing Instantly Created Fiction which explored creative new sites of imagining and being, through social interaction.

The participants collaborated to compose Situational Choreography subverting elements of theater, with fiction-writing. Removing the stage and audience divide, the performance was immersive where the audience members could participate and build up on the story, thus instantly creating fiction.

Lewis explained the ground rules to the audience before inviting them to entry the arena. Some audience members actively participated in the performance leading to instantly created avenues of climaxes and conclusions.

The performance was followed by a brief introduction of the project by Bushra Hussain, Secretary General of KBT and certificate ceremony for the workshop participants.

Karachi Biennale hosted the first ever performance of Situational Choreography in Pakistan on Sunday, 30th June 2019 at National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA), Karachi.

The workshop was in collaboration with Goethe Institut, Karachi and NAPA.

 

About Isabel Lewis

Isabel Lewis is a Berlin-based choreographer, born in the Dominican Republic and raised in southwestern Florida. Trained in literary criticism, dance, and philosophy, Lewis’ work takes on many different formats: from lecture-performances and workshops to music sessions, parties, installations, and what she calls “hosted occasions.” She has created works around topics such as open source technology and dance improvisation, social dances as cultural storage systems, collaborative creative formats, future bodily techniques, and rapping as embodied speech acts. Drawing from her background in choreography and literary criticism, Lewis uses the occasions to investigate both the role of the artist and the role of the host.