After the premiere of their production „Ancestorsʼ Banquet“ in brut Wien in April 2023, the ATASH عطش contemporary dance company now turns to this theme for a younger audience.

Our ancestors are numerous and pass on many things to us. Some things are transmitted in a mysterious way. It seems to be in our bones. In „Ancestorsʼ Gift“, Ulduz Ahmazadeh and the ATASH عطش contemporary dance company examine what our own relatives have given us along the way. We all carry the experiences of our ancestors within us; these can be beautiful experiences, talents and gifts as well as traumas or fears. The piece leads through a poetic world of dance, projection and sound into an associative world of images of the past and the future, on the path of discovery and transformation.

Awarded the STELLA*24 – Performing Arts Prize for Young Audiences in the category ‘Outstanding Set Design’

„How much of past generations lives on in us? And where? If the last three generations live on in us, how much of their fear still remains in our bones? The atash dance company counters the traumas that affect generations with scenes that show positive paths and arouse curiosity about our own biographies. Till Krappmann (scenography) and Michael Zweimüller (lighting) give the choreographic exploration space to show that, in addition to trauma, there is also joy, light and darkness, heaviness and lightness. There are only small steps between the uncanny and the familiar. We just have to take them. A holistically conceived, very physical space, fluid and captivatingly beautiful, which is also a real partner for the outstanding dancers in terms of content.„

Commentary from the jury

An ATASH عطش contemporary dance company production, coproduced by DSCHUNGEL WIEN With the kind support of the Future Fund of the Republic of Austria. Thanks to the Arts centre BUDA in Kortrijk and the Tanzhaus Zürich. A project in collaboration with ConnectUp, supported by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.