Animalarium

In Animalarium we propose ourselves as domesticated human animals and strive to create an intriguing connection between entertainment and shows using humans and those using other animals. We explore to “be” other animals, while at the same time confronting the lived experiences of our own conditioned human bodies and histories as women and as dancers.

Our works are neither streamed performances nor dance films – We are inventing a practise that allows us to make instant dance art for the screen and challenge the threshold of how we experience live and recorded: we work with cameras that are placed in such a way that what they see, record and stream is drastically different from what the live audience experiences with us in the room.

Our desire is to highlight how “the power of a format” can shape the behaviour, thoughts, and emotions of the performing subjects and the audience. How do we experience ourselves, our bodies, and each other live and on screen? And in which way do we use other animals to reinforce human centric narratives about gender and our relationship to nature and its other inhabitants?

Animalarium is a collective creation between Alexandra and dance artists Lena Kimming and Liv Schellander. Together they are Animalariums dancers and choreographers.

Animalarium has received support from Riksteatern, Ställbergs gruva, 3:e Våningen, Vitlycke – Center for Performing Arts, Arbeitsplatz Vienna, BKA Vienna, Konstnärsnämnden, Västra Götalandsregionen, Göteborg stad and Tanums kommun.

2022 – 2023
Upcoming presentations nationally at Ställbergs gruva in Ljusnarsbergs municipality, Gotheburg and Vitlycke – Center for Performing Arts and internationally at WUUK – Performing Arts in Vienna.

2021
Production residency at Riksteatern, Stockholm. Live streamed work in progress showing

Presentation of Shows for Shows for Shows, a 60 min dance performance. 3:e Våningen as a part of GIBCA extended, Göteborg

Residency at Ställbergs gruva, Ljusanrsbergs kommun

2019
The Swedish Artists Grants Found International Dance residency at Danscentrum Väst, Göteborg

Presentation of Animalarium, a 20 min extract. A part of Utsnitt at 3:e Våningen / GIBCA extended, Göteborg

2016
Presentation of Animalarium – a pop up zoo, a 2.5 hour performance installation. For a live audience at Raw Matter Large, at Arbeitsplatz Vienna as well as live streamed publicly on Periscope (300 online visitors / 250 comments). Residency at Arbeitsplatz Vienna

Film published Animalarium – long improvisation, Vimeo (9.800 views). Produced at Vitlycke – Centre for Performing Arts

Presentation of Animalarium, a 60 min dance performance. For a live audience at Vitlycke – Centre for Performing Arts and live streamed on an invite only web platform. Live stream later published on Vimeo (6000 views). Residency at Vitlycke – Centre for Performing Arts

Live streamed work in progress showing at Riksteatern in 2021