5. Deutscher Produzentenpreis für Choreografie
(5. German Producer Award for Choreography)

Inspired by the nuance-rich diversity of tonal colours, speech melodies and rhythms of various languages, »speak« explores non-verbal communication structures. These develop exclusively through movement and thus form their own code. Through this, both dynamic and intricate movement compositions are simultaneously translated into complex choreographic space and time structures.

Rodolpho Leoni, born in Campo Grande/Brazil in 1963, studied dance in his home country from 1978 and in New York from 1985. Since 1988, he has been living and working in Germany and has danced with artists including Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker and Mark Sieczkarek. Leoni has been choreographing his own pieces since 1992 and in 1996 he founded the company rodolpho leoni dance with the production »Foggy«. In 2004, the premiere of »baud« came as a commissioned piece within the festival »Tanztheater – Drei Wochen mit Pina Bausch« (»Dance Theatre – Three Weeks with Pina Bausch«). With his pieces, he has made guest appearances in Brazil, the USA, South Korea, Egypt and Europe. In 2004, he was awarded the 5th German producers’ prize for choreography. A few days after its premiere in the tanzhaus nrw in Düsseldorf, Leipzig will be only the second location for »speak«.

The German producers’ prize was instituted in 1995 by the Künstlerhaus Mousonturm in Frankfurt/Main, with the aim of strengthening the position of contemporary dance. It is awarded every two years and, by the co-operation currently of 11 organisers, it facilitates production of a larger ensemble piece followed by a tour. The euro-scene Leipzig is the only organiser in the former East Germany and in 2003 it staged »Tanzgeschichten« (»Dance Stories«) by the 4th winner of the prize, Raimund Hoghe.