b12 spring
research or die.
no credits
b12 spring
— // —locations: eden***** studios & dock11
erna ómarsdóttir
this performance project is designed for about 17 people and lasts 13 days (sunday off). it will be performed three times alongside two other performance projects at dock 11, a theater in the center of berlin. erna's performance project runs from April 14 - 26, 2026.
rehearsals and performances:
April 14 - 18: 17:00 - 20:30 at eden studios
April 19: no rehearsal
april 20 - 23: 17:00 - 20:45 in dock 11 theater/dock 11 studio
April 24: 13:30 - 15:30 in dock 11 theater / 16:00 - 18:00 dress rehearsal in dock 11 theater with all three groups / performance: 19:30 - 21:30 in dock 11 theater
April 25: 15:45 - 17:00 possible feedback at dock 11 theater / performance: 19:30 - 21:30 at dock 11 theater
April 26: 15:45 - 17:00 possible feedback at dock 11 theater / performance: 19:30 - 21:30 at dock 11 theater
new: if you are interested in us booking accommodation for you for the duration of the performance project, please indicate this in your application. please understand that we only have a limited number of accommodations available.
there is no deadline and you can apply up until one day before the performance project starts.
a borderline electromagnetic gossip ritual
in this performance project, we will create some sort of a borderline musical where we treat the voice as a direct extension of the dancing body. we move beyond the voice as only a musical or narrative tool, but also utilise it as a raw, textural and visceral instrument to express both abstract and concrete emotions. by fusing extreme physical movements with the voice, we allow the body to physically distort or affect the sound, and the sound to dictate the movement. we will utilise both verbal and non-verbal vocalisations to build poetic, dancing soundscapes that fluctuate between melodic harmony and abstract noise. metamorphosis through objects and fabrics will serve as an element where we extend the body’s boundaries, using fabrics and found objects as tools for simple transformation. by manipulating a diverse array of materials—ranging from everyday items like towels, curtains and skipping ropes to weird objects and accidental finds from the nearby environment. we will work with material from older work of erna, such as ibm 1401-a users manual and the talking tree, and a recent one, the orphic circles and other gossip, as starting points. our research could thus become some sort of a techno-mythological meditation on memory, obsolescence and endurance, or a borderline musical that uses electromagnetic gossip and the body as both an ancient machine and a myth, flirting with ghosts from the past and present in a ritual of common things made holy.
the description reflects an artist’s idea which was developed at the time it was submitted to b12. it may have changed by the time the workshop or the performance project is starting. please stay flexible. thank you!
biography
erna ómarsdóttir is an icelandic dancer and choreographer. she graduated from p.a.r.t.s. in brussels in 1998. since then, she has collaborated extensively with choreographers, composers and visual artists such as damien jalet, sidi larbi cherkaoui, björk, jóhann jóhannsson, anna thorvaldsdóttir, sigur rós, gabríela friðriksdóttir, matthew barney, jonas åkerlund and ben frost. erna has created numerous works for leading international dance and theatre institutions, including ballet basel, nagelhus schia productions in oslo, theater am gärtnerplatz in munich, theater freiburg, chunky move in melbourne and iceland dance company. from 2015 to 2025, she served as artistic director of the iceland dance company. her work has been widely acclaimed and awarded. she is a multiple recipient of gríman, the icelandic performing arts award, and in 2019 received a faust award nomination for romeo & juliet, co-created with halla ólafsdóttir. she is also the winner of the norwegian subject prize 2020 for duels, stage production of the year, co-created with damien jalet. for over 25 years, erna has been creating her works, many through the shalala company with her partner valdimar jóhannsson. her artistic practice moves fluidly between dance, performance and staged excess, often incorporating voice, singing, breathing, screaming, cleaning and repetition as choreographic forces, alongside physical commitment combined with elements from visual artistic work in set and costume.
company info
Shalala
founded in 2008 by choreographer erna ómarsdóttir and musician/artist valdimar jóhannsson, shalala is a reykjavík-based performance group known for its multidisciplinary approach. the company blends contemporary dance, music, visual art and theatrical elements to create works often described as borderline musicals or contemporary vaudeville. many works explore themes of human vulnerability, rituals and dark social commentary. for example, their sacrifice, a festival of common things made holy, examined modern life through sacrificial rituals and even included sessions like cleaning screaming and black yoga screaming cabinet. the founders also operate as a theatrical band called lazyblood, which incorporates high-energy music and extreme performance styles into their concerts. shalala often collaborated with the iceland dance company (idc), where ómarsdóttir served as artistic director until 2025. they also collaborated with international dance companies and artists from all genres, including sigur rós, björk, ben frost, anna þorvaldsdóttir, jóhann jóhannsson, skúli sverrisson, gabríela friðriksdóttir, matthew barney, ragnar kjartansson and jonas akerlund. their latest work the orphic circles and other gossip, with iceland dance company, received the icelandic stage award for the best work of the year 2025, as well as best choreography of 2025. shalala curated the reykjavík dance festival in 2013.
b12 |||||||||||||| 2026 |||||||||||||| we are you ||||||||||||||