“ORIENTATION” is based upon the ancient art of dance of the whirling Dervishes. The idea is based on the mixture of traditional Sufi rituals and a new interpretation thereof. Choreographer Mohan C. Thomas combines traditional dance forms of the Orient, Asia and South America with contemporary choreographic elements, large format projections, lighting design and specially composed world underground music. The emphasis of the work is the spiritual, trance-like whirling which achieves a new unity through the interaction of one dancer in the role of a Dervish and two contemporary dancers. With both the newly created and traditional whirling forms, the dancers turn in rhythm to drum’n’bass, Colombian cumbia and electronic Sufi music.

This first multimedia dance production by the TANZMOTO DANCE COMPANY, produced by a team of 11 artists, celebrated its successful premiere in 2003 in Bochum. One year later, invitations followed to perform in the Tanzhaus NRW in Düsseldorf and the Joyce Soho Theatre in New York. The performance in the USA was supported by the Goethe-Institut and the Kunststiftung NRW.

Choreography: Mohan C. Thomas

Dancers: Maria Lucia Agón Ramirez, Carlos Martinez Paz, Mohan C. Thomas

Live percussion: Jorge E. Vallejo R.

Video: Mohan C.Thomas

Lighting design: Jens Piske

Costumes: Anne Bentgens

Camera: Paola A. Guardia O.