The premiere by James Batchelor and Collaborators is a polyphonic solo and an intimate blend of intellect and emotion that opens up new avenues to dance for children and adults alike. Sophiensælen presents Notes of Self from Friday, 12 December to Sunday, 14 December 2025.
Image above: © Morgan Hickinbotham.
A polyphonic solo: Notes of Self is an intimate blend of intellect and emotion that opens up new avenues to dance for children and adults alike. Playful, surprising and full of movement, the choreography appeals to young audiences, including those who may never have been to the theatre before, and invites adults to engage in a new dialogue with the radical spirit of expressive dance.
The work is inspired by Batchelor’s research into the diasporic history of expressive dance in Australia and his current engagement with children through the LUNA PARK initiative in Berlin. Centuries-old avant-garde tradition meets the spontaneous movements of children, creating a performance that is both historically conscious and contemporary.
Children’s perspectives influence not only the movement, but also the dramaturgy – what they perceive, what fascinates them, what they remember. The result is a solo that becomes a dialogue between generations, bodies and ways of seeing.
The premiere of Notes of Self continues James Batchelor and Collaborators’ collaboration with the Sophiensælen and is the third production at the theatre after acclaimed performances of Shortcuts to Familiar Places and An Evening-length Performance (Tanz im August). The performance is aimed at audiences of all ages and welcomes both experienced dance enthusiasts and curious newcomers, including children, who are invited to lose themselves in the energy and imagination of the performance.
Cast & Credits:
Lead Artist, Choreography, Performance: James Batchelor
Dramaturgy: Bek Berger
Composition: Morgan Hickinbotham
Lighting Design: Veslemøy Rustad Holseter
Costume Design: Cote Jaña Zuñiga
A production by James Batchelor and Collaborators in co-production with Sophiensæle. Funded by the Performing Arts Fund from funds provided by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media. Co-produced by the LUNA PARK e.V. initiative as part of the LUNAPARK.Residenzstipendien programme, curated by the initiative’s artistic director, Kosmas Kosmopoulos. Funded by the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion. Media partners: Missy Magazine, Siegessäule, taz.
WHEN?
Friday, 12 December 2025, 8 p.m.
Saturday, 13 December 2025, 3 p.m.
Saturday, 13 December 2025, 8 p.m.
Sunday, 14 December 2025, 7 p.m.
WHERE?
Sophiensæle GmbH
Sophienstr. 18
10178 Berlin
COSTS?
10 EUR
15 EUR
20 EUR
25 EUR
