ENCOUNTER

R E T N U O C EN F R O D L E S DÃœS A R C C K A L A W E M A R F

2016

It's like a walk on the road Looking for the star in the middle of the sea Everything is possible If you just believe believe believe * Our life is one big major encounter, facing various sides of ourselves, meeting, coming and going, individuals throughout our time of existence, living through diverse relationships, private and professional, from love to hate and love again, more or less intense. Experiencing new countries, foreign cultures and its people, sampling hobbies, favourite books and magical moments, enjoying or disliking weather, just always encountering life in its fullest.

This and the interaction with each other, the feedback, collective problem solving and creating pieces of art jointly are the core of every Framewalk. Always accompanied by gaining insights into ourselves individually and collectively as well as into society.

This Framewalk encounter was one of the strongest ever in the history of Framewalk. I was deeply touchted to see this enounter unfold. The amount of encounters on display in all the above mentioned fields were breathtaking, warming my heart and making me very happy. Petra Kron

Framewalk is always looking for *the star in the middle of the sea*.

Framewalk is always a magical journey, *cause we are who we are.* Nothing ever stays the same, but Together we can walk the Frame.*

* song: magical journey

Define with one of the senses your first encounter as a framewalker during the meet and greet session and why?

I felt my heartbeat, out of excitement, joy and anxiousness.

Franziska

It smelt like the aroma from a buffet of different recipes; everybody had something distinct to share. Dr So

The encounter hit my ears, already before even placing one foot into the building. So many powerful voices that empowered each other spiralling up into a common moment of joy and laughter. Tim

Seeing, as if I was locked up. Karl

The smell of a tropical fruit market. All the colourful, delicious fruits that are even more delicious when connected with their origins. Celia I felt comfort and understanding, because there was some form of connection among the Framewalkers. Prince I got to know the rest of the participants through the introductions made about them. I heard their names and about their personalities. With my ears I paid attention. Christian

A clear and thoughtful talk and a welcoming voice. Marouf New faces, nice pretty and handsome faces, everyone was happy. Alicia With my skin I felt the energy of everyone around. Sarah The eagerness to get to know new friends and learn something new. Benjamin The smell of the bigger space turned to smell of bodies.

The feeling of not being alone grew into my conscience. Eric I saw and experienced a positive energy and connection since everyone was ready to share. Sena

I saw beautiful people with amazing talents and warm smiles and hearts that make me forget about any worries.

Evelyn

I saw the real of connection between us, ready for the battle.

Samira

I saw a big sea of faces, familiar and non-familiar. Teya

My eyes saw different humans from different nations with different talents, coming together for one reason. Justina

I saw everything. The encounter appears as a colourful rainbow of possibilities. Melih It tastes like cold fruit juice; different individuals came together with a cold taste of something new. Angelina Superb as with my eyes I saw different people with different creative skills. Esther There was a sense of warmth in the room, a feeling of excitement in the air. Yaa Yaa Full of powerful colours. David It was very involving, a nice interaction. Samera

I was looking around the room, and seeing all the people’s faces, all the different countries and backgrounds was very interesting. Nick My sense of sight was interrupted by a creative interaction between a comedian and a rapper. Bella I felt I naturally connected with everyone because of how welcoming they were. Angelica I felt very comfortable after getting to know every participating party due to their ways of conversing, even though I normally am not too good with crowds, and welcoming one into their midst despite feeling a little nervous since I have never had such an experience before. Bill

Encounter the presence. Embrace the sound experience the presence, and feel the now

Forget the curses that cloud the eyes Remember your blessings and keep them alive

It doesn't have to change your mind To make you think about life You have to keep an open mind Change is just a phase in time

Just keep an open mind Step out the zone An let intentions be known You can be what you want to be It doesn’t have to change your mind To make you think about life You can be

Changes, changes, I see different changes Faces, faces I see different faces Some of them are funny and some of them are crazy But I know I got everything to make you look juicy

It doesn't have to change your mind To make you think about life You have to keep an open mind Change is just a phase in time

Change to face the threat of the new All that has come before comes back through Forget the curses that cloud the eyes Remember your blessings and keep them alive

Crazy. I think the word ‚crazy’ would best describe this Framewalk. Crazy in every way.

And I still think it's amazing HOW MUCH can happen within one week. This Framewalk was quite unlike any before.

First, we already knew each other. Eagerliy awaiting to see each other again after a year of seperation! From day one I knew that this Framewalk would be very special. And it actually was. Established habits were revived, like lovingly fussing about answering the Question of the day. New wonderful habits, such as waking up together, having breakfast and starting the training on time shaped this Framewalk and the bond between the participants intensified.

Second: The Kabawil Studio became our temporary home. Like a family we lived, cooked and ate there, we slept over and spent our time there together.

Third: We had some new participants, but they quickly integrated that you could not tell who was participating for the first time and who not. They brought a breath of fresh air to the artistic process, new ideas, new inspiration, new stories, new approaches. The group was even more diverse. Roots from South America, West Africa, South Asia, the Middle East and Europe. A variety of choices, we could only benefit from. Not only artistically, but also the team spirit. We were all brought up differently and have different world views.

However, what we shared, were our dreams and our goals.

Framewalk is a very special cross-cultural project. A platform to establish a network of likeminded people to make the world a little more beautiful. There are families you are born into and families you find along the way. Melih Celik

Be open for new experiences About encounter! Let me see!!!! One of the demands we as artist instructors made from the participants was ”Be open for new experiences”. Hmmm that sounds like a task with different meanings and expectations. I asked myself before embarking on this journey of encounter that, what new experience can you take out of this process Elikem???? I looked out for that experience in every intervention both during the workshop sessions and my general reflective moments either on my morning jog, out with the team in the museum or time in town shopping.

My realization from encounter was the word "fear".

Fear in this regard is an all encompassing word which stands for the fear to encounter as well as the fear of not encountering. The fear of the unknown as well as the fear of the known. The fear to let go as well as the fear of holding on. Fear of being too expressive and fear of not expressing at all. Fear of sharing love and fear of not encountering love. This fear was exhibited on so many levels, by different people and at different moments. Does fear hold an encounter back or does fear make an encounter real? Are people ready to encounter or they will like to be assured of a safe zone to allow an encounter to ensure? The encounter continues. Mr K.

We’re gonna have an appointment And I’ll meet you there We’re gonna make it together So you better beware

you just dey meeting me dey go

I sabi you dey slow

When yu walk onto the show

It jus dey make you glow

you just dey meeting me dey go

Ich steh hier und steh hier // und warte auf dich warte und warte // es passiert tagelang nichts

It's an encounter together It gonna last forever, I feel the connection between one another It's magical, we gonna leave with memories that make us think about the physical // connection we have And I know that you know that she knows that he knows that this, can only get stronger

I will let myself go // And take the chance But I will not lose my stand // when we are done.

You just dey go you just go you just dey go You no dey greet you just dey go, you just dey go.

You just dey go you just go you just dey go You no dey greet you just dey go!

What is special about (this) Framewalk and why?

The topic encounter. Through this topic I learnt how to accommodate people in their given space and socialize with them. Prince

That second chance given to us to be a family again, work with people who are talented in my opinion and learn from them is very special. I will forever be grateful. Nick

The number. It actually disputes the saying “the fewer the merrier” but this time the more people the more fun, acts, unity and encounters. Very special. Karl

The connection was so strong our bond to each other increased. I loved it. Melih

Sleeping together in the studio. It was fun. The idea of ladies and gentleman sleeping together in one small room. It was nice to wake up in the night and see so many people sleeping side by side. Sometimes some of the German participants even came and joined us. Sometimes we just argued till after 12 midnight. Esther On the first day I felt already how much I would miss the Ghanians after they would go back. To pick one thing as the most special the energy and presence on stage or in every moment in front of the audience. That was very pushing and impressive. Franziska Everything, it changed the way I see the past, the way I live the present and the way I foresee my future. Esteban It was the best week since I’ve been in Germany, because I feel like it’s home. The love is all around. Celia It was a whole new experience for me, I got to meet new people, I got exposed to different cultures with creative and beautiful personalities. Samera Because most of the people were new Framewalkers that meant everyone encountered everyone. Angelina Commitment, because we were able to create a lot of wonderful pieces. Dr. So The meeting, knowing, exchange, connectivity, discovery, tension and the love of give and take. Sena

The openness of everyone and the chance of interacting with each other without feeling judged. Bill I see the theme as a journey; it really has been a journey for me just as my trip from Ghana to Germany. Samira It was my first time in Germany, and the experience and the people I met made the Framewalk special. And it’s nice that the theme was encounter. Christian It has been an amazing journey so far, the special thing about this Framewalk is the honest and pure love from every angle, we were a big family and that is super special. Evelyn We did so many pieces. It is amazing. The dance group was very good, I liked it. I loved the atmosphere. Everybody was / is so talented. The organisation was very good. Dariya The participants. When you look at the consultation, you see people of colour to 95 percent but 55 percent of them were German. People get irritated when I show them a picture of this particular Framewalk group, because they don't see ‚Germans’. This makes this group special… The constellation is a walking statement. Germany is not white. Jack I was really able to put myself out there and contributed and learnt all that I could. Teya Encountering others I encounter myself. I encounter fun and unpredictable things, also the topic encounter was so self referring. Sarah

The team Eugene Oppong Ampadu AKA Kyekyeku, has worked on several artistic projects connected with sound and music for short movies, theatre, poetry and performance in general. He writes, arranges and produces music, a lively performer whose music and performances cut through a crosssection of music and performance styles heavily influenced by the acoustic guitar with a tasty Ghanaian Highlife music yet exploring a mix of classical, flamenco Jazz and Brazilian guitar styles and sounds.

Thomas Klein works as a musician and is a member of the internationally known electronic band Kreidler. He has diverse Solo projects like Solyst, fauna and Clyne.

He composes for film and audio productions and he creates artistic sound works in collaboration with visual artists like Mischa Kubal and Dunja Evers. Regularly he does music for theatre plays in Cologne and Düsseldorf.

Abiodun Odukoya, a composer/ singer/ songwriter, is one of the pioneers of the HipHop and Afro/ Reggae/Soul scene in Germany since the 90’s, as well as one of the international commuters of the new Urban Roots Movement.

Abiodun and his band Sidekick present their powerful sound, their musical diversity and their cosmopolitan consciousness.

Abiodun also produces young musical talents in Nigeria and Germany. He is a founding member of Brothers Keepers with its persisting statements against racism. He worked with Maceo Parker, UB40, Gregory Isaacs and Xavier Naidoo. Abiodun is an experienced teacher for voice, singing, rap and spoken word.

Alfred Elikem Kunutsor has a BA and MA in Dramatic Arts from the University of the Witwatersrand South Africa. Working across many disciplines, he has lectured, run workshops, and performed in a wide range of projects. He has taught Performance Studies at the University of Ghana Legon, Accra and currently teaches Creative Arts at the Tema International School.

Simon Eifeler is a stage director.

He studied stage direction at the Academy for Performing Arts in Ulm, Germany and ever since he is creating and directing plays in the fringe or off-theatre scene. His best known plays are: König Ödipus

by Sophokles, Kassandra by Christa Wolf, Woyzeck by Georg Büchner, Maria Stuart by Schiller, Faust by Goethe and the Odyssee by Homer.

Simon is founder and director of fred – Freies Ensemble Düsseldorf, an independant municipal theatre that offers a platform to professional theatre creatives for their works.

Kofie Anthonio is currently an assistant lecturer at the Department of Dance Studies, School of Performing Arts of the University of Ghana, Legon. He holds an MFA degree in the Theater Arts (Dance) from the University of Ghana. His special area is video technology as a teaching tool in dance. He is a choreographer and performer and he loves to share and to teach and he is ready to learn.

Sônia Mota has taught dance since 1976 in her method ‚the art of presence’, after 16 years of classical ballet and modern dance and a career as a soloist. She worked in Europe and Brasil for various dance companies as a teacher and choreographer. She received numerous awards for her dance works. In the past 25 years she taught and teaches training classes and companies in Lisbon, Vienna, Cologne, Weimar, Leipzig, Arnheim, Belo Horizonte, Recife, São Paulo and Düsseldorf.

Othello Johns works as choreographer, dancer and pedagogue for various institutions in the field of the performing arts.

For most of KABAWIL’s dancetheatre productions like Wer hat Angst vorm Schwarzen Mann?, Leila und Madschnun and King ED, to name a few, he was the artistic director for Dance and Choreography.

He worked as a soloist for the companies of Milton Myers, Rod Rodgers, Isadora Duncan, Erick Hawkins and Tanzatelier Wien.

He studied Dance and Choreo-

Angela Kamara is a writer and she manages the musician Flo Mega.

She did project management and public relations for various groups in the field of anti-racism

graphy in New York at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance and at the Erick Hawkins School, as well as at the University of Louisiana.

and anti-discrimination, like the AfroGerman NGO Brothers Keepers, with its persisting statements against racism.

For KABAWIL she was the author of Simulacra and supervised the political correctness of the dance theatre Wer hat Angst vorm Schwarzen Mann? She was assistent director for Leila und Madschnun. Angela Kamara studied Social Sciences at the Universities of Duesseldorf and Bochum.

Kojo Benedict Quaye aka Sir Black is an African living in Ghana. He is a performance artist, painter, sculptor and Ehalakasa (spoken word poetry) instructor. He is the founder of TalkFACT3, Ehalakasa Talkparty the only regular poetry event and the Annual Ehalakasa Festival. Sir Black is very much involved in organizing spoken word poetry events, workshops and projects in schools and communities in collaboration with local, international and cultural institutions around the country.

He is a three-time prize winner in spoken word poetry (Ehalakasa) including the 2006 Peace FM National Search Competition.

Petra Kron works as cultural anthropologist and as performing artist. She does production management for plays and programs.

She designs and instantiates art platforms like Framewalk and Lab.dc in collaboration with artists from varying countries. She’s got a Ph.D. (ABD) in Cultural Anthropology of Mainz University and a state board examination in Fine Arts and English from Düsseldorf University. She continually teaches, researches and explores her concept of relational cultural works in the field of the performing arts mostly in cross cultural and cross disciplinary contexts.

Music is always a big and important issue in Framewalk.

First: After 5 days of intensive work, the musical results are impressively strong since all the participants start from zero and create lyrics, song arrangements and melodies together within our very small timeframe.

Second: Music is also the connecting link between the two other disciplines: theatre and dance, and helps to build a narrative flow through the whole length of the final stage performance.

More than just this, it enables not only encounters between the actors or the different performing arts, but also between the musical traditions brought together on one stage, resulting in the participants’ diverse musical upbringings, due to their cultures and backgrounds.

This, generally, leads to a very specific ‚framewalk sound’ where cultural borders may be perceived but not maintained!

There are always approaches and adaptions between a whole lot of cultural roots and origins.

Languages are mixed and musical genres might be clashed and transformed into a new and unique style of intensive expression and a big identification potential for the performers and the audience.

Last but not least the musicians create a lot of catchy tunes which are echoing in everyones ears for a long, long time! Thomas Klein

I was surprised by how unafraid I was.

As I stepped out to perform the first song I had ever written, I expected to be terrified. I waited for my voice to shake, and accepted the fact that it would most likely not be as good a performance as it had been in the safety of the music room a day earlier.

I waited for the nerves to come. But they didn't. Standing by myself in the middle of the box stage, was the most comfortable I had ever felt performing.

Such is the nature of Framewalk. I don't think anyone performing that night felt alone onstage. Framewalk fosters an environment that is supportive, open, and generous. Everybody involved is so genuinely enthusiastic about what they and the people around them have created, that it makes you want to be a part of everything, to sit and watch everyone rehearse, to try your hand at every piece, and then to go home and make something more yourself. And then show up the next morning, notebook in hand.

And you can, because you're working with people who are open to your ideas, and who will help you realize them. And who knows, you might just end up performing something that you're really proud of. Teya Beth Leonard Quarmyne

What adjective would you use to describe encounter and why?

Eager. I am expecting too much and can’t wait to experience

it all. Samira Surprising. You don’t know what will come across. Benjamin Interesting. It is something new or unusual that happens.

Decisive. Every encounter a person goes through determines

how the person will turn out to be after the encounter.

Christian Beautiful. The end result of every encounter is

Evelyn

different, and living in the suspense of not knowing the end from the beginning is what I find beautiful. Dr So

Appealing. To have the chance to occasionally meet people of different cultures is amazing and I’m living every little experience. Samera

Adventurous. To be a part of Framewalk is an encounter of a lifetime. Justina

Mysterious and more so. Each encounter, whether conscious

Sudden. It is something that happens unexpectedly or is

un-planned, because I believe no one plans and encounter.

or not, is a totally different and independent experience from the other. Karl

Prince

Beautiful. I think encounters can be awkward but I believe

Adventurous. You never know if the encounter will be good or bad for you. Angelina

that experiencing something new is beautiful. Nick Risky. You never know what will turn out of it. Sarah

Transparent. Because just by encountering you get to know everything better. Celia

Weird. An encounter happens randomly, and out of it comes negative or positive experience. Sena

Unexpected. It implies an art of spontaneity to the inter-

Spiritual. What happens in the spiritual world is a mystery

action, that it is something that will not happen the same way again. Teya

to the living world. You need to be sensitive and ritualistic to embrace the mystery. You need to equip yourself to encounter the encounter. Eric

Abrupt. It represents things or actions happening without a plan. Angelica

Close. You have to be somehow close the object or person

Amazing. You get to do, know, hear, see things that you may not have fathomed before. Esther

you encounter. Francesca Revealing. You don’t encounter something you already

know. There is always something new. Melih Protective. The first reaction to it is checking out the safety

of the situation. It’s a decision after this very first instant moment to step ahead and open up to receive whatever you encounter. Tim

Valuable. Every new experience is a new chance. Bill Anxious. I’m not sure what to expect and it makes me

nervous uneasy. Yaa Yaa Impressive. It leaves a print, mark or lesson in your life.

Marouf Curious. Curiosity allows an encounter to happen. Bella

Magical Journey I've been roaming so long, Seen so many faces So many places That I can't recall Where my journey stops And where I end Where will I end Where will I end We are on a magical trip Let's discover ourselves Cause we are who we are, On a magical trip Let's discover ourselves Cause we are who we are, The road ahead, Had me feeling so great, Though I don't know if I'll break Through space and time Let's see what we discover I'm going to find you Wherever you are I don't know where I don't know how But I will find you Yes, I will I will smoke you out I will smoke you out We are on a magical trip Let's discover ourselves Cause we are who we are...

It's like a walk on the road Looking for the star in the middle of the sea Everything is possible If you just believe believe believe believe I stand on the edge of the globe wondering which way and direction to take, my path is filled with excitement and wonder, take me on your wings ohh air of life. // What do I encounter?

As I walk in the middle

of the street I pray to God I find

a person I can meet Whether it's black, white,

Costa Rican so to speak I hope this friendship

will never ever leave Can’t you see It's the fire in ur eyes And the passion in your touch I swear I feel it in a rush To discover what is right.

See, the one thing that we ALL love is the the music Bonding our hearts, our souls when we use it It‘s no pretending, it’s the rhythm of our hearts We both wake up in the morning, you are yawning, I spit bars homie

But there is just one thing

that you owe me I'm giving everything but you aint doing nothing for me If I am the right one please come and show me But please don't waste my time beeing overphony I'm going to find you Wherever you are I don't know where I don't know how But I will find you Yes, I will I will smoke you out I will smoke you out Nothing ever stays the same, but Together we can walk the frame And when the moon finds herself and the ocean We look again at us as a reminder of all that was left

Together we can WALK THE FRAME

ÂťAll of life is an encounter; from birth to living until death.

This is the same for the arts; from conception, creation up until completion or let’s say when the bow is taken, the applause given and the curtain drops.

Every step, every space and every stage experienced is a combination and levels of encounters that lead to a desired expectation or the opposite.

Mostly this is based on the kind of choices one makes in reference to how, who and what one was, is and becomes.

Hence the beginning which has to do with the coming together of people of different cultures, the process which has to do with the fusion of dance, music and theatre and the final presentation that was surprisingly splendid, full of inspiration and outpouring of light, spirit and magic.

At the end love reigns.ÂŤ Sir Black

A kiss.

It lasts barely a moment, woven into the story that is being told on the stage. It ties together two threads, and binds a dozen more. They meet and part. A story ends and another begins.

To those watching it is a natural part of the piece that is unfolding before them. It fits, they fit. And yet it speaks to a bigger truth.

It has been only five days since these people met. They walked into a bare room as strangers and proceeded to draw stories from each other’s souls. They have wrapped those stories around themselves, around each other – aware always of what they carried – searching for ways to bring those truths forward in words, music and dance.

New meanings emerged, old meanings evolved.

And by that final night they have learned what it is to step out onto a stage, vulnerable and alone, yet knowing they stand amongst people who will help them to move mountains.

They have been given the courage to tell, to reveal, to inspire, to entertain, to kiss.

Fiona Leonard

photos by: Nyani Quarmyne, Katja Stuke; design: Katja Stuke

KABAWIL e.V., Flurstraße 11, 40235 Düsseldorf T. 0211.9 36 55 00, www.kabawil.de, info@kabawil.de www.framewalk.de, follow or join framewalk on facebook.

Framewalk – the Crosscultural Week is supported by: Landschaftsverband Rheinland Project Partner in Ghana: Haduwa Arts and Culture Institute

Sena Atsugah, Esther Nyarko, Isabella Narh, Bertha Kan Omar Farouk, Angelica Kankam, Angelina Anthony, J Celia Valverde Gerner, Franziska BĂśhnlein, Teya Leonar Melih Celik, Christian Nartey Mintah, William Ahland David Mendez, Prince Amoabeng, Benjamin Katey Ban Amu Solomon, Eric Awere, Nicholas Van der Staaij, Mar Kyekyeku, Thomas Klein, Abiodun Odukoya, Ziad Ali, A SĂ´nia Mota, Othello Johns, Kojo Benedict Quaye, Angela

nkam, Samera Sidiku Buari, Evelyn Galle–Ansah, Samira Justina Adwoa Adu, Dariya Maminova, Bettina Enns, rd Quarmyne, Alicia Awa Beissert, Sarah Schiffbäumer, d, Jack Mensah, Esteban Vicenti Zuniga, Tim Cecatka, nnerman, Karl Adu Dankwah, Suhil Haji, Benjamin Nii rouf Alhossan.

Alfred Elikem Kunutsor, Simon Eifeler, Kofie Anthonio, a Kamara, Petra Kron; Heribert Münch, Mme. Kalala