minimum conditions

a research project on pandemic seating strategies and the interior architecture of spaces of spectacle

from Sasha Amaya

PART 1

THE RESEARCH QUESTION

Context
History
Research Questions

As a dancer and choreographer with an architectural education, the events of the past years, with the effect of temporarily obliterating or greatly diminishing performance, has struck me as a particularly sensitive site for investigation about how the architectural and artistic might fruitfully interact.

Many of the foundations of our (western) societies have been built up alongside the construction of stages and the staging of performance. Three main architectural-artistic-conceptual revolutions are often named: the theatre of the Greeks where the rights and wrongs of the protagonists were judged by the chora, the riotious theatres of the early moderns (a sort of acoustic Twitter event), and the classical and neo-classical theatres of the new nation states and the bourgeoisie. In the 20th century, modernist post-war stages, with the look if not always the reality of egaliterianism, and in recent decaes, the warehouses and other former working buildings have welcomed the interior architecture of the theatre into their shells.

With the pandemic these structures — each a monument to an ideological wish that artists have become well-used to adapting to — have, at worst, been totally shut; at best a few visitors have been sprinkled throughout their gaping premises from time to time. Whether the current plight is over soon, comes in waves, or disappears to be replaced in some years by another contagion, it seems likely that performance will have to grapple, at least periodically, with an overhall of a system which has built its sense of satisfcation on the density of bodies, breaths, minds, and whispers within a specific space. The solutions have, understandably, been bandaid-oriented: audiences spaced apart, performances broadcasted, and quick-turnaround testing. But how, as artists and as architects, as dancemakers and as audience members, can we fine more creative and fulfilling solutions?

This gap leads me to my research question: what are the minium conditions required for me to perform a work? To show a work I have created? To come to watch a work?

A SHORT HISTORY OF WESTERN STAGE ARCHITECTURE

Many of the foundations of our (western) societies have been built up alongside the construction of stages and the staging of performance. Here is an illustrative summary of some of the ways that we have been watching, hearing, presenting, and enjoying shared experiences in the theatre.

PART 2

EMPIRICAL RESEARCH VIA INTERVIEW

1. HOW DID YOU COPE!? Interviews with Venues
   2. HOW DID YOU EXPERIENCE? Interviews with Audiences
   3. HOW DID YOU WORK? Interviews with Professionals

HOW DID YOU COPE!?

INTERVIEWS WITH VENUES

In additional theoretical and speculative research, it was important to take an empirical approach into how real theatres dealt with the problems thrown up by seating their audiences during the pandemic. Below I present portions of conversations with Lake Studios, the Sophiensaele, and fabrik Potsdam, who all dealt with the challenge of facilitating performance with different spatial strategies.

Documenting Pandemic Seating Strategies in Performance Spaces 

Lake Studios Berlin 

‘‘We were wearing masks indoors for a very long time, and made sure to ask artists to always air the space after each piece. We spaced the seating out using a ruler and had a person in charge who enforced social distancing in a comedic manner. We always had every team member tested in the mornings… Mostly it was fine, but there were a few artists who did not want to test because they were afraid of loosing payment for their performance if they were positive. That was not comfortable… It was a very stressful time also emotionally because it felt like the artists and the artistic director has to control the people and take away their freedom personally. That is not a fun job as someone who is there actually to give people freedom.’’

Which/what kind of regulations arrived externally? 

The standard: Masks, taking down contact info, social distancing, desinfection, testing requirements, etc. 

Which/what kind of regulations were suggested internally? 

We were wearing masks indoors for a very long time, and made sure to ask artists to always air the space after each piece. We spaced the seating out using a ruler and had a person in charge who enforced social distancing in a comedic manner.  We always had every team member tested in the mornings. 

Were what you did with the space regulated or did you have freedom to decide on spatial arrangement, e.g. blocked seating, etc.? How many different set-ups did you try? 

We had the freedom to decide how to place our chairs since we have flexible seating. We always had 1.5 meters distance between chairs as well as having audience wear masks. 

How did this work with your team? Who was in charge? 

I and Mark did most of the work here.  Jessy Tuddenham was the social distancing enforcer ;-) 

What kind of response did you have from audiences? 

They seemed fine – although towards the end of the pandemic we had a few people who complained that we continued to wear masks when it was not mandatory anymore. 

What kind of response did you have from makers/choreographers and performers? 

Mostly it was fine, but there were a few artists who did not want to test because they were afraid of loosing payment for their performance if they were positive. That was not comfortable. 

Did you work with a professional to arrange the space? 

No.

What was the most productive set up? And why? 

—

What would you do differently next time?

Have a professional take care of the whole situation so I do not have to do it perosnally. (if there would be funding support for that as well as people who have been trained to do it easily available)  

Is there anything else you want to add or share? 

It was a very stressful time also emotionally because it felt like the artists and the artistic director has to control the people and take away their freedom personally. That is not a fun job as someone who is there actually to give people freedom. 

Documenting Pandemic Seating Strategies in Performance Spaces 

Sophiensaele

‘‘Most of the audience were thankful that we had a proper concept in place and that they could feel kind of save to attend a show… The most challenging part for the artists were regulations of distance between performers on stage and to the audience, as well as the early admission of the audience. Everyone was very understanding and thankful to have the option to work during the pandemic. However, those regulations were very challenging for artists as this interferes highly with the artistic concept in general. Regarding seating and capacity of the audience, reducing seats of course meant reduced tickets on sale.  ’’

Which/what kind of regulations arrived externally? 

• Distance regulations on stage between performers, between performers/stage & audience (different rules for singing), between audience (e.g. blocked seats) 

• Distance regulations between performers & audience: 1.5m at the beginning, chess board pattern after a couple of months  

• Max. Number of people on stage / according to size of the room 

• Duration of shows 

• Collecting contact details; checking test results, status of vaccination / recovery of audience & artists 

• Test strategy for employees, artists, audience 

• Ventilation system  

• Route guidance system for audience (access on direct way, one-way.system) 

• Bar situation (separate areas, where audience could have drinks without a mask) 

• Obligation to create a hygiene concept 

> All those regulations were constantly adapted during the pandemic.

Which/what kind of regulations were suggested internally? 

• Regulation of attendees at rehearsals (only people, who were directly involved in the production were allowed to attend) 

• Max. number of people at dress rehearsals  

• Test strategy (for attendance at rehearsals) 

• Max. Number of people in dressing rooms (according to size of the room) 

• Entrance of audience (doors opened 30min before show start to ensure smooth entrance) 

• Separation of technical work & artistic work 

• We came up with more outdoor formats (e.g. audio walks).

  Were what you did with the space regulated, or did you have freedom to decide on spatial arrangement, e.g. blocked seating, etc.? How many different set-ups did you try? 

• We had to block specific seats in order to remain the required distance. However, we mostly have free seating, which was still possible during the pandemic & made it easier to simply remove chairs without changing too much in the ticketing system.  

• For specific formats (e.g. without grandstand) we had to calculate the max. number of people in the space & come up with a system on our own to ensure the distance.  

How did this work with your team? Who was in charge? 

• Technical department & Artistic Administration were mainly in charge for seating plans (in consultation with all the other departments & management).  

• We had a specific (weekly/bi-weekly) meetings to discuss & agree on latest Corona regulations.  

• What kind of response did you have from audiences? 

• Most of them were thankful that we had a proper concept in place & that they could feel kind of save to attend a show.  

  What kind of response did you have from makers/choreographers and performers? 

• The most challenging part for the artists were regulations of distance between performers on stage & to the audience as well as the early admission of the audience. Everyone was very understanding and thankful to have the option to work during the pandemic. However, those regulations were very challenging for artists as this interferes highly with the artistic concept in general. Regarding seating & capacity of the audience, reducing seats of course meant reduced tickets on sale.  

Did you work with a professional to arrange the space? 

• No

  What was the most productive set up? And why? 

• Seated audience on the standard tribune > easiest way to track the max. capacity & ensure required distances 

• Special formats without use of the grandstand (e.g., parcours through the performance space) were extremely challenging 

What would you do differently next time? 

• Hopefully, there won´t be a “next time” 😊 However, we had to follow the regulations of the Senat very closely and were therefore not super flexible, especially with regards to seating. 

Is there anything else you want to add or share?

—

Documenting Pandemic Seating Strategies in Performance Spaces 

fabrik Potsdam

‘‘We didn't have much freedom with the regulations so we didn't have much decision-making freedom. We were all trying to make the best of it. The feeling now is that we have after two years of pandemic better electronic tools to manage the booking of the tickets and the refunding in case of cancellation of a show (which often happened). At the beginning we gave the people the possibility to renounce to a refund and to have a kind of voucher for the next performance. But we quickly abandoned this because it was difficult to keep an overview on each audience member... Therefore we used intensively the tools of reservix which enabled an immediate refound for all. Since we in the meantime got extensive support by the land and city, we weren't anymore afraid to get into a financial hole if we refunded all tickets.’’

Which/what kind of regulations arrived externally? 

In March 2020 the classes and the events for the audience wen't forbidden. We shut down all our offers: classes and performances. This was a regulation of the Land Brandenburg. Working in the studios, in the office and on stage was possible for the core team of fabrik. The residences were cancelled. Later on, there were possible but with strict separations of the ways between fabrik team and artists. We didn't use anymore our dress rooms.

Over the next two years the regulations of the Land Brandenburg changed several times, which was quick difficult to follow since there were different from Land to Land.

From June 2020 events were anew possible but with following rules:
- max audience 200 people in the venue, 500 people open air
- distance of 1,5 m between people (exception: people belonging to the same family) without masks
- distance of 1 m between the seats in the venue for people with masks
- regulated entrance and exit of the audience (row by row)
- air cleansing
- negativ tests for all, late exception for the vacinated and recovered people
- contact data to each audience member

For the artists working at fabrik:
- daily tests....

We needed also to published a "Hygienekonzept" for the Land and for the audience, that enlisted precisely our measures.

From Nov 2021: 2G

April 2023: End of most of the regulations...

Which/what kind of regulations were suggested internally? 

Regulations regarding the presence of artists in the house: tests daily or not, with or without vaccination etc... It changed all the time.

Were what you did with the space regulated or did you have freedom to decide on spatial arrangement, e.g. blocked seating, etc.? How many different set-ups did you try? 

First we had to respect the 1 m distance between the seats, which lad to a new seating plan (every two row was closed, blocks of two people see plan in the attachement)
Later the distance of 1 m was interpreted between the people and not anymore between the seats, which enabled us to reopen the closed rows.

The booking system reservix had a new feature: we could programm if one or two or three... seats should be closed between two bookings.

The seating plans didn't need to be authorized by the authorities, but there was a continous exchange with the Land in zoom conferences with other venues about what was possible or not...

How did this work with your team? Who was in charge? 

The technical director, the directors of fabrik and the production team were in charge.

Sven Till (one of the artistic directors and member of the board of directors) was participating to the exchanges in the zoom conferences. Ralf Grüneberg (technical director) and Christian Wolf (production) made and adapted continously the Sicherheitkonzept.
Everybody in the team who had contact to artists had to let them sign the Sicherheitkonzept and to document the tests or vaccination confirmations.

What kind of response did you have from audiences? 

Not many. Most of the time positiv since we also saw these measures as a possibility to give a good feeling about the audience. For the festival Potsdam Tanztage 2021 our campaign thematized this: Coming anew together, strong and clear regulations etc....

Individually we had some people complaining about the regulations, one of them a yoga teacher of ours who quitted in 2022 as long as we didn't accept anymore people who were not vaccinated into the classes.

What kind of response did you have from makers/choreographers and performers? 

I have to ask to my colleagues, I don't know about problems, except that somethings the companies needed to change their cast if one of the performer refused the vaccination.

Did you work with a professional to arrange the space? 

No, we have a professional technical team.

What was the most productive set up? And why? 

The one with the authomatic closing of seat by the system of reservix. Or what do you mean with "productive"?

What would you do differently next time?

Good question. We didn't have much freedom with the regulations so we didn't have much decisions freedom. We were all trying to make the best of it. The feeling now is that we have after two years of pandemy better electronic tools to manage the booking of the tickets and the refounding in case of cancellation of a show (which often happened). At the beginning we gave the people the possibility to renounce to a refound and to have a kind of voucher for the next performance. But we quickly abandoned this because it was difficult to keep an overview on each audience member... Therefore we used intensively the tools of reservix which enabled an immediate refound for all. Since we in the meanly got extensive support by the land and city, we weren't anymore afraid to get into a financial hole if we refounded all tickets.

Is there anything else you want to add or share? 

—

HOW DID YOU EXPERIENCE ?

INTERVIEWS WITH PUBLIC AUDIENCES

A COMPILATION AND SELECTION

The following is a compilation and selection of responses from young audience goers, all under thirty during the first years of the pandemic. Here they respond to wearing masks, being spaced apart, and viewing dance online, what was successful for them and what was less so, and how this changed their relationship to performance.

How did you experience interior architecture during the pandemic?

‘‘Small, uncomfortable, chaotic, not organic, as a guideline, angular.’’

‘‘I think the stickers and indications in general were very ugly. Indications had been made in a very archaic way. Equally, it was quickly taken for granted to leave a seat empty without an indication.’’

What kind of audience - performer formats did you experience?

‘‘Normal set-up in theatre with lots of distance, online pre-recorded performances, interactive performances, one-on-one performances, outdoor performances.’’

‘‘With restrictions and walking lines and emergency design strategies.’’

‘‘In 2020, online plays (via) Zoom meetings. Also performed online in online play… During the pandemic in Brazil all theaters were closed until 2021. The first play I saw was in a building called “Teatro Oficina’’; different from any theater. I had to use a mask but there were no chairs.’’

‘‘I watched concerts live on my computer.’’

‘‘On every chair a person with a mask or it was cancelled. Because of covid I didn't really visit plus I lived in a small town with little activity then.’’

‘‘One on one dance classes, online dance classes, workshops, spaced-out auditoria for lectures, so there were 3 open seats next to you, and, for ballet performance, a normal setting but wearing a mask. Theatres with smaller audiences, smaller rooms, a virtual concert. On holiday you had to buy tickets in advance for museums so that they could manage the capacity.’’

What was your experience of performance in these alternative formats? What was lost? What was gained?

‘‘Pre-recorded performances give a very detached impression. Especially if they do not use different perspectives, a huge amount of quality is lost. One-on-one performances, on the other hand, I found enormously valuable. The chance to have and give so much space to one person was quite exceptional.’’

‘‘Emergency design strategies are pratical. I would never say that it was well thought of or beautiful or design oriented. They are just there to guide you. But that’s also one of the goals of design, to guide you through a space.’’

‘‘Sight was lost since the mask sometimes got in the way of hearing. Smells were lost. If you’d go with your friend to a “traditional” theatre building, you may have had to sit separately. In online experiences, the presence was lost. There were still ephemeralities for the live characteristic, but it was something else than theatre. What was gained: exploring inside places (your own room) while performing.’’

‘‘On one side it was nice, because we could watch concerts that were held on the other side of world. On the other hand it was quite sad to sit behind a computer (often alone) and watch these artists without the ambiance of normal concerts.’’

‘‘I lost a sense of community. You are alone in your room. Instead of in a full theater. The mask was bothering. There were issues with the server for the virtual concerts so that was inconvenient and would not occur in real life.’’

Can you recall a situation where you felt surprisingly satisfied with or despite of the altered format? Can you recall a situation where you felt the work was underserved by the format?

‘‘Unsatisfactory was Wim Vandekeybus’s ‘‘Hands do not touch your precious me’’ premiere I watched online. The emotional charge of this piece did not come across to the audience at all. My attention was distracted tremendously quickly. Satisfying was an outdoor performance from Seppe baeyens called ‘‘Birds’’: this was a performance in a public square where the audience helped shape the performance. This was a wonderful interaction.’’

‘‘A satisfying example is the recording of Pina Bausch’s Rite of Spring by Escóles des Sables. Unsatisfying example was a dance piece I watched online (via Zoom meetings). The movements were frozen because of the instability of my WiFi.’’

‘‘Satisfying example: I watched a concert together with a lot of friends and it turned into a ‘party’ halfway and everyone was dancing. Unsatisfying: I was watching something (I can’t remember what exactly) online and the sound fell away, so I quit watching because I couldn’t hear a thing.‘‘

‘‘Except for the uncomfortable mouthmasks and the view that was less broad because of it, it didn't change a lot. I didn't visit in the middle of covid.’’

‘‘I remember dropping out of an online dance workshop because I wasn’t interested anymore. I wouldn’t do that if was in the room with the choreographer. (On the other hand) I could watch a perfomance live online I would otherwise never see live because they are not close to me.’’

What did you learn about yourself as an audience member during this process?

‘‘Watching live performances is very important to me. I go to performances to be immersed, away from my normal environment. That's when I can best interact with the work and be open to it. A work had to be very specifically put together to hold my attention through video. Peeping Tom knows very well how to create a tension arc that held my attention even on video. For me, the human encounter in a performance is hugely important.’’

‘‘The importance of the presence, but also the possibilities within pre-recorded video works. As audience, I found out that sharing the same time-space with a performer is an essential component.’’

‘‘I liked watching performances with other people. I felt sad to observe art alone, because I couldn’t talk about my experience or laugh about it with other people. I realized that I loved art/ music together with other people. It enriched me more to not be alone in art sometimes.’’

‘‘Now I won't like living without live performance, online wouldn't be the same. Like we said yesterday we will miss a lot of information and I wouldn't be able to share it with other people around me. Talking about the work after the performance, the interaction of the spectators, etc.’’

‘‘I remember buying a ticket to see a ballet during the pandamic for half a year later because I thought it was a long time ago and “after the pandamic” I could go see a ballet. I travelled less. I learned a lot about my attention span. Long formats worked better for me or I could experience them more because I felt like I had that time. I was more rushed before the pandemic.’’

What would you wish for differently if we are in a similar situation again in the future?

’’When using video to record performances, the full potential of this medium was often used. So how can the medium of video really contribute to conveying the art. When it comes to live performances, we can be much more flexible and integrate it into the concept of the work possibly. What is it like to watch a performance in such isolation, rather than surrounded by a mass of people? How do we experience the extra space and distance? I also found it refreshing to have space. On a very practical note, it is important to think about how the arts sector does not completely collapse in the face of change. How can we think about new formats so that artists and art institutions do not go bankrupt in such large numbers again. Art is a basic element of our society. How is it that just art was so quickly pushed aside as not a priority during the pandemic?’’

‘‘Something that I would personally do differently is exploring the outside (squares, gardens, etc) to perform and watch theater and dance. Also maybe choose the option of recording, rather than broadcasting a piece via zoom.’’

‘‘I would wish for less social fear in these situations and more attention for the mental impact. I feel like we should think about architecture/ art that could make people less scared of each other and feel less alone. In difficult times we should come together as humans, but with this pandemic we only drifted further away from each other.’’

‘‘Maybe interact more with the restriction in a way. Last time I was just passively following the rules. Now that would feel wrong. Be creative with it? I did find 'peace' when we were forced to stay at home.’’

‘‘I feel like interfaces and online servers are more developed now so that would be less annoying. I was very lucky to live at home, near my college and everything, so I had everything I needed near me and wasn’t constricted in my movement. I would wish for a larger room so that I could have more space to dance. 😅 ’’

HOW DID YOU WORK ?

LONG FORM INTERIVEWS WITH DANCE PROFESSIONALS

It was also important to speak with dance professionals, who are both audience members, but also makers. Here, I share three responses. The first from a dramaturge and regular performance spectator, the second from a performer, researcher, and writer, and the third from a performer, maker, and avid audience member. Through these interviews we see some of the ways in which individual professionals working in the scene responded to the changing conditions, practically and emotionally.

THROUGH THE EYES OF A DRAMATURGE + FREQUENT AUDIENCE MEMBER IN BERLIN

1. What kind of audience - performer formats did you experience?

By trying to remember different formats I realize that on one hand there haven’t been many shows happening or more true I wasn’t watching a lot, the Pandemie was a moment of withdrawal from shows for me. And on the other hand also it feels like from what I have been experiencing the solutions haven’t been so diverse. Most of the new formats were online, either going into the direction of performance film or filmed performance. Like I remember making “movie nights” at home with for example: the movie by Zohar Naharin YAG, or one showing Trajan Harrell in Palais Garnier in Paris. One other  format I remember where an app produced by Rimini Protokoll:  “the walks” from Rimini Protokoll. Apart from that i only remember less people in the audience, having distance between one another and wearing masks.

2. What was your experience of performance in these alternative formats? What was lost? What was gained?

I think more intimacy was gained often by coming back to smaller audiences, as well as more focus and attention to the things we saw as we visited and witnessed less in general. Gained was also the possibility of an international visibility.

Lost was a vivid exchange and overflow of things happening in the scene and nourishing each other as well as often the change to show things live that has been worked on intensively 

3. Can you recall a situation where you felt surprisingly satisfied with or despite of the altered format? Can you recall a situation where you felt the work was underserved by the format?

With most of the live stream formats I had the impression the work was underserved. It only worked well when it had been especially adapted to film and movie aesthetics or was more of a talk/ lecture format. 

I can’t remember a specific situation where I felt surprisingly satisfied but also to be honest it’s been a while and something might have slipped my mind.

4. What did you learn about yourself as an audience member during this process?

I learned that I can watch performances more attentive, open and less judgmental if I choose more selectively what to watch. I learned that screen time needs to be cut, and that alternative formats like audio walks, interactive games work well in these situations. That finding ways to connect is important.

5. What would you wish for differently if we are in a similar situation again in the future?

Although we learned a lot in jumping into new territory and adapting super quick, finding g solutions to problems and being g engaged and motivated I think we can slow down a bit and in a situation like this if it happens again, to not overproduce but maybe handing out bigger budgets to especially learn and create new formats.

TWO EXPERIENCES FROM INDIA AND GERMANY FROM A DANCER, RESEARCH, AND WRITER

What kind of audience - performer formats did you experience?

I think there was a lot of creative use of Zoom formats and exhanges that I had more with my south asia circles.
But one of the handful of performances I experienced before then was Crossing the River by Nicola and Coila. I think that was October or November 2021. Such an audio walk format with live movement was new for me.

What was your experience of performance in these alternative formats? What was lost? What was gained?

A sense of intimacy with the performer became possible with their voices in my ears, while still being in a public space. I also even now feel especially connected to this part of Wedding because of how this performance  got us to observe the city.

I also remember going to Sophiensaele for a show around then and sitting one seat apart from people on each side. Actually, following the horrors of the pandemic that I was coming from, I welcomed this safety and also the possibility to watch performances at all. We were still talking to our neighbouring seats though and perhaps there was even a greater cognizance for who else was in the room because of the reduced numbers.

Can you recall a situation where you felt surprisingly satisfied with or despite of the altered format? Can you recall a situation where you felt the work was underserved by the format?

Perhaps my previous answer addresses the first part of this question. I didn't watch much to be able to talk about undeserved works for a format. There was a film version of a performance called DOOM by Layton Lachman which I felt was especially suited for the format. I hadn't seen the original stage performance but enjoyed the video. I remember that Omicron was going on then because I was burning with the same fever myself at the time and that was going to be my first text for tanzschreiber.

What did you learn about yourself as an audience member during this process?

I learnt that I really care about and enjoy post-show conversations and exchanges with other audience members. I didn't know many people, people were also cautious and also there were rules restricting just chilling with a beer after, so I missed this aspect a lot.

What would you wish for differently if we are in a similar situation again in the future?

Maybe more things on the streets, junctions, parks. My big complaint is always about an over reliance on social media and less info on websites. So also a better balance there. Its not an architectural space but surely a big way presence and absence is felt.

A THREE DIMENSIONAL GAZE FROM A DANCER / MAKER / SPECTATOR IN BERLIN

As a choreographer / dancemaker…

1. What kind of audience formats did you experience?

Live streamings of dance and theatre pieces happening in empty theatres.

Pieces designed for Telegram or other social media channels with some audience interaction.

Dance videos designed for the screen.

Live performances with reduced seating capacity.

Live performances in public space.

2. How did this change the way you created dance works?

I realised how important this unspeakable connection is between one performing body and one witnessing body. I became acutely aware that my awareness both as a performer and as a member of the audience was not as holistic and all-encompassing than when watching a show on screen or interacting on screen. 

I understood that my senses are at work at all times when I am at a theatre, often unconsiouscly (smell, taste, ambiant temperature, the « sixth sense », awareness of the other members of the audience).

During the pandemic I consciously noticed that I was more « watching » (visual sense) when watching dance via screen and that my gaze was that of a cinephile, keen on camera angles, lighting and edits. And I didn’t really believe in the uniqueness of the moment. 

I could just not look at the screen during a live streaming, or walk away and not come back to the screen.

Conversely, I rarely leave a theatre space before the end of a show. There is a sense of uniqueness of the moment, also shared with others, that oblige/coerce/invite me to stay in the performance space.

I became an even stronger ambassador of live art, physically witnessed by oneself within the same space as the live artists.

3. How did you feel the relationship between audience and your work changed? What was the effect and how did you feel about that?

I noticed that I didn’t have access to this unspoken, often unconscious, sense of group when being a member of the audience, sharing my physical space with other bodies.

4. Was there anything positive that came out of this process for your process?

It made me love my job even more.

I understood that media were very useful in keeping a sense of community in a situation of urgency, and that sharing physical space was an action that made bonds between humans sustainable beyond urgency.

5. What would you request differently if we are in a similar situation again in the future?

During online movement classes I found the constant switching between two types of eye focus and attention very tiring:

I had to stare at a small screen to see a movement, focus my eyes and possibly type, which meant carrying out minuscule finger movements, and then translate all of what I had just cognitively processed (watching, hearing instructions from a teacher) into a somatic activity. 

On top of that I had to scale whatever I saw up to my actual physical space that I was in, my room.

So I zoomed in on the small screen, and then I zoomed out into my big room. 

Also: I had to focus on the bodily and cognitive rules of a laptop (I have to be seated, I need to 10 finger type, straight neck, watching someone say and do something) and then immediately drop all those body rules to go into movement where other rules apply (not bumping into my desk, feeling the spring of my floorboards, being able to stretch out my arms in all directions).

It felt like constantly switching from sewing a button on a Kimono to iron-forging, but intricate art nouveau fences.

Space switches:

This switching from looking into someone else’s room (e.g. the yoga studio on my screen) and then coming back into my own room was always coupled with some change of eye focus and also mental attention which often gave me a headache.

It made me lose access to this instinctual learning process that could happen in my body were I to share the space with the teacher.

I hope that technology picks up to be more body-friendly and not so body-coercice, e.g. laptops with lenses that have a wider depth-of-field, so we can see beyond the « face-torso » frame, and a more intuitive handling of live streaming where I don’t have to sit down and type every time I want to interact.

As a performer…

1. What was it like to be on stage during the pandemic?

It felt historical. It felt special. I danced for every person on the seat and I danced for every absent person not on the seat.

2. What kind of audience - performer formats did you experience?

The same type of audience as before. Maybe some more friends who came to the performances out of solidarity, or because they were craving social contact.

3. What were challenges and benefits of that time?

The benefit:

We all realised how much we need each other, after all. We realised that there is a limit to our solitary, hyper-individualised lifestyle. We were all in the test tube of social isolation and quickly understood that this was not what made us happy. And we quickly understood that the media which were given to us as « alternatives », as temporary social crutches, were actually just that: crutches.

We realised that we would like to have access to both: the digital and the physical social realm.

It also strengthened friendships, it helped created bonds which weren’t there before: with neighbours, with people who weren’t close to us before.

The challenge:

Not getting depressed. Maintaining your mental health in a situation the outcome of which you don’t know.

Not being scared. Scared of infection, scared of adverse effects on your body. Scared of dying before your time.

4. What would have helped you perform to your best in altered circumstances?

Vigorous clapping so I have a sense of a crowd that gathered. Not necessarily for me, but for the fact that people simply got together.

5. What would you request differently if we are in a similar situation again in the future?

No non-stop media doom mongering. I was listening to the radio a lot and it felt as if the journalists were letting their freak-out feelings ride their reporting, which meant reporting about the pandemic twenty-four-seven. 

Considering the circumstance that people are deliberately trapped in their homes, scared, and that these media channels are actually their only contact with the outside world, I often felt that journalists weren’t fully aware of their psychological duty to keep people informed all the while making sure that they don’t accidentally aggravate the citizens' claustrophobic situation.

As an audience member…

1. What kind of audience - performer formats did you experience?

Live streamings of dance and theatre pieces happening in empty theatres.

Pieces designed for Telegram or other social media channels with some audience interaction.

Dance videos designed for the screen.

Live performances with reduced seating capacity.

Live performances in public space.

2. What was your experience of performance in these alternative formats? What was lost? What was gained?

Cognitive interaction in dance pieces with other members of the audience through experimental formats was gained. Instinctual understanding or accessing the unconscious as a space of meaning-making in dance was somewhat lost.

3. Can you recall a situation where you felt surprisingly satisfied with or despite of the altered format? Can you recall a situation where you felt the work was underserved by the format?

A Telegram theatre piece from Switzerland created with lay performers that was staged as part of Theatertreffen in 2021. Very engaging and - since the audience was participating from their home - also very effective in creating a sense of creepiness (it was a murder mystery piece). Being alone at home very much worked to the theatre company’s advantage.

Watching a theatre piece being performed live at a theatre roughly seven kilometres away from myself who sits in a cinema and watching this live screening was fun. It felt like a double-up of reality. A trans-humanist show.

4. What did you learn about yourself as an audience member during this process?

In as much as I often act like a misanthrope when watching pieces (I get easily annoyed by my own sounds and gestures, and by other people’s sounds, movements and smells - especially aftershaves, perfumes and washing machine smells), I realised that I do need these other human beings in the space to acknowledge the space as a space and to have a vague sense of belonging to people who also care about this art form.

5. What would you wish for differently if we are in a similar situation again in the future?

More public address performances, so more non-culture enthusiasts can see performances.

PART 3

ANALYSIS

DISTILLING THE ESSENTIALS

We can now revisit the question: what are the minimum conditions required for me to perform a work? To show a work I have created? To come to watch a work?

It seems that there are different ways to go about bringing audiences and artists together under difficult, limited, or unexpected conditions. What has been clear through the interviews with venues is that they are all non-expert architectural arrangers trying to make the best use of space they can, with very different strategies, but that their spatial approach was highly affected by considerations about social and financial aspects.

Getting the information from most venues was extremely difficult, because it was yet another, extra, unpaid task. Many venues were unable to provide information, and I had to let this go at a certain point. Others simply were honest that they did not want to revisit pandemic memories, which were incredibly stressful on them and their team: they described their work as ad hoc and did not want to go back into documents or revisit that time mentally. I did not expect this much resistance at the outset, and it affect the scope of the research, but also added to it in its clear signalling of how immensely stressful this period was for many artistic administrators and cultural workers who suddenly because legal interpreters, interior designs, and policing agents against their will and overnight. On the other hand, the venues who were able to be in conversation, often gave extensive and length conversations and details (more than is included in the above), while also citing the stresses and challenges of that time.

From audience interviews, it was heartening to take away the way in which people were able to very often find the silver lining, at least retrospectively, in an altered performance experience. Audience members often appreciated the diversity of shows they were able to see outside their usual circle, however most cited a loss of presence, energy, and community as negative factors. It also made many people appreciate how much they enjoyed live performance and how important a part of the shared communal experience (e.g. being in a crowd, talking about a show at the bar afterward) was an important, exciting, stimulating, and satisfying part of the performance experience.

The in-depth responses from three professionals working in the Berlin field and internationally were given by individuals who give highly detailed, rich replies about their complex relationship to a field in which they are deeply invested. These responses were interesting in comparison to the venues/cultural administrators, as the dance professionals interviewed were highly subject to the regulations but not responsible for enforcing them. Therefore their answers tended to be more subjective and philosophical. At the same time, they also put forth wishes and suggestions for foci in the future.

Overall, the richly social nature of live performances came up repeatedly as something that was missed (negative) and something that was cherished (positive) by nearly all.

In grappling with these questions, I devised four categories which seemed of particular importance and general relevance. For the maker and performer: (1) effort/intention, (2) practice/skills, (3) rehearsal processes, and (4) anticipation and appreciation. For the audience or member of the public: (1) proximity to other bodies, (2) ticketing/reservation of time, (3) focus/attention, and (4) a sense of occassion.

Below I have illustrated these factors, which particularly focus on relevance for makers and audience members.

In the moment of the pandemic, venues did not have time to be modifying their space based on the swiftly changing restrictions and a more expansive view of how they could still maintain some of the most essential aspects of shared performance, as illustrated above.

From a venue specific perspective, negative factors included unexpected workload (negative), shifting regulations and lack of clarity (negative), and patrolling the behaviour of other people (negative). Many of these factors could be ameliorated by funding (e.g. ticket reductions and an extra staff member to take on monitoring and implementation of restrictions), while others were due to the nature of government communication, and were more about clarity in communication than funding.

For venues, on a positive side, the importance of keeping each other and their audiences safe (positive), the gratitude of audiences and artists (positive), and funding from the state which made ticket reductions a non-issue (positive), as well as ‘tool’ supports like the reservix system and a fund to build an outdoor stage, were important.

It will be interesting to see if we can build on the practical tools venues were using, as well as their concerns and challenges, and combine this with a more holistic approach to future solutions which retain a sense of what is important to people when they make and experience live art. This is not a criticism of the tremendous efforts venues put into place. Rather, an outline of some values which can guide us when we are rearranging our spaces of spectacle, to ensure that we maintain the things that matter most when we come together to experience live art.

PART 4

NEXT STEPS : FUTURE RESEARCH

SPECULATIVE SCIENCE + ACTUAL DESIGN SOLUTIONS

The shock of the pandemic sent us scrambling for solutions for performance. While digitality and outdoor performance grew, we struggled to reconfigure our traditional theatrical spaces.

A next step in research would bring together architects, venues, artists, and scientists to think through current and speculative problems to create imaginative future solutions together —  before the next time we need them.

As a dancer and a choreographer one of the most profound affects of the panedemic on my working life was the way my relationship to the audience changed. As a performer I couldn't sense my audience as well. As a choreographer I didn't know how to cope with the slack energy of the room. And as an audience member -- while I was grateful to watch performance -- I wasn't totally satisfied with the experience.

Choreographers and theatre-makers have, skillfully and in their definiantly resourceful way, devised practical solutions, such as one-on-one performances, intimately-set showings, and audio descriptions, as well as live-streaming. cinematic documentation, and outdoor manifestations of their dances. Yet the big buildings of our theatrical spaces still exist, asking us for better solutions. We need to give ourselves as a community the resources or permissions in order to more creatively challenge the architectures we inhabit.

What would it look like if we had the time and resources for architects, scientists, artists, and venues to work together to rethink the inhabitation of our spaces of spectacle? How might we join together, as artistic and political bodies, to rethink how we can re-create our spaces of spectacle together?

This likely will not be the last pandemic we see. As artists and as audience we need to think together about how we can temporarily and flexibly shift the spaces we inhabit together, and share this knowledge so that we can continue to come together in meaningful and satisfying ways -- not only despite of, but especially because of, the challenges ahead.

This project practically brings together four venues with four architects to reimagine creative solutions for better working conditions.

The project builds on my previous research in choreo-architectural communication, as well as more specifically in how venues have previously coped with pandemic challenges. Starting from this point of departure, I will liaise with scientists at Max Plack Institute where I have connections through my work at fabrik Potsdam's Kunst & Klima group to the Berlin-based Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence to better understand what they see as real and speculative challenges ahead. Using this information, I will create a scenarios framework (based on speculative scenario planning I have done at the TU Berlin) to create a system of possible worlds for our architects and venues to encounter.

i will invite four venues, each of which is not only architectural distinct -- both in its history and its interior possibilities -- but also in their mission. In this way, while all are based in Berlin for the feasibility of completing this project in its short time scale, they represent different combinations of factors that can be learnt from and applied more broadly to the German (and potentially European) context. The theatre spaces are: Uferstudios, RadialSystem, Sophiensale, and Lake Studios Berlin.

Each of the venues will be matched with an architectural firm. The architectural teams will work with and at the institutions to come up with solutions to the scenario framework with which I have provided them, each venue having received a different possible future. This will be documented in photo, video, and texts, and potentially also by an illustrator, so that all findings can be shared.

The four architectural firms I propose are: Studio Karhard (https://www.karhard.de/) for Uferstudios, FAR (www.f-a-r.net) for RadialSystem, Raumlabor (https://raumlabor.net/) for Sophiensaele, and Batek Architects (https://batekarchitekten.com/projekte/) for Lake Studios Berlin.

I have selected four venues in Berlin and matched them with four architectural firms. Uferstudios is a series of studio-style creation-performance spaces located in a former bus-station. With functional-industrial text and a generally mutable seating arrangement, I pair them with Studio Karhard, who has experience working in transforming cultural spaces like Berghain and the Deutsche Filmakademie. FAR, whose work is luminous, colour-sensitive, and minimal while being soft, would be able to bring an interesting spatial and visual approach to the austere yet bourgeois features of the retrofitted RadialSystem building, challenging the norms of their space while appreciating its detail and history. Raumlabor, with its collectivist, scrappy, DIY approach, and raw-material-based work, would bring exploratory and mutable possibilities to the space of grand industrial Saal of the Sophienesale. And Bartek, whose work is sweet, sleek, and tidy would be able to work its light but sure touch in the simple and luminous space of Lake Studios.

Gefördert durch die Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien im Programm NEUSTART KULTUR, Hilfsprogramm DIS-TANZEN des Dachverband Tanz Deutschland.