MA CoDE: Winter semester 25/26
October 13th, 3. Semester G11
At the beginning of the semester, the eleventh generation of MA CoDE students present topics they have chosen themselves, reflecting current discourse in dance. These topics form the starting point for in-depth research into a choreographer or a piece. They are then used to develop lessons. Over the course of the semester, these lesson plans are transformed and tested with different target groups. In addition to the practical units, the students develop other teaching formats, such as table talks or a symposium, that do justice to the topics.
October 13th - February 2nd, Bojana Kunst: Potentialities: Politics and the Dancing Body
This seminar explores the dancing body as a political force. We will examine how movement practices, across different historical and geographic contexts, both reflect and resist systems of power. The focus is on dance not merely as a response to oppression but as a productive space for new ways of living, sensing, and relating. Movement carries unrealized potential, affects, and meanings that escape fixed representation. We will investigate how the body in dance becomes political, engaging with key philosophical concepts to unpack what it means to speak of a “political body.” It is true that bodies are shaped by colonial histories, gender norms, racialization, and labor. Yet dance can unsettle these formations, disturbing dominant norms, provoking affective shifts, and opening space for transformation. The seminar draws on concrete primarily contemporary dance practices, with select historical cases, that confront political violence, institutional control, and social taboo. Readings include work from decolonial theory, feminist critique, and Black and queer performance studies, which are especially focused on the political potential of the dancing body.
October 28th - November 10th, Writing about dance
In this exercise, students attend performances at the Rhein-Main Festival with Prof. Dr. Katja Schneider and write about them in various formats.
November 5th - December 17th, Teaching in Fachbereich 2
MA CoDE students teach the module Music and Other Forms of Expression to L1 students in Department 2. They provide practical insight into artistic choreographic working methods and contemporary movement approaches, which they develop from their own chosen topics. Beyond a primarily didactic focus on movement training, MA CoDE students offer various concepts of body awareness and improvisation, opening up a playful approach to choreographic styles and movement while revealing the contexts. The results are reflected upon with the participants in a short feedback session.
November 10th - February 9th, Post-Colonialism in Dance
Students work with Amelia Uzategui Bonilla on concepts of the body that do not originate from a Eurocentric perspective. In an ongoing seminar, students explore postcolonialism and the current discourse on decolonization in dance from a theoretical and practical perspective. The seminar is led and conducted by Amelia Uzategui Bonilla and covers topics such as colonialism, class, power hierarchies, empowerment, and resilience.
November 11th - December 2nd, Parkinson's dancing – pilot project
Neurological research sees dance and movement as ideal interventions for diseases such as MS or Parkinson's. They help overcome motor obstacles and improve psychosocial well-being and quality of life. Movement offers participants the opportunity to connect with themselves and their environment.
In the first phase, MA CoDE students work in pairs to develop and teach movement programs for people with neurological challenges. Each session is accompanied by a musician. After evaluating the pilot phase, the project will be continued in Frankfurt.
November 14th & 15th, Choreographic Design in Participatory Events
In this practical workshop, students will create designs for participatory formats, experimenting at the interface between choreographic design and constructive conflict practice. Students are invited to explore decision-making categories that are present in both the choreographic process and conflict situations. How can interactions arise in the context of public dialogues, organizational design, social actions, and beyond?
Dana Caspersen, a specialist in conflict management and long-time dancer with William Forsythe, incorporates her artistic experience and expertise in conflict resolution into the format. The workshop is conducted in collaboration with the HTA and is open to other master's programs.
November 18th - December 14th, Bridging Positions
The seminar contextualizes the students' self-selected semester topics with Prof. Dr. Katja Schneider and theorizes the corresponding positions.
January 5th - February 10th, Oral History
The seminar with Prof. Dr. Katja Schneider introduces the methodology of oral history and tests its application.
January 16th & 17th, Audition MA CoDE for the Generation 12 in Frankfurt
January 24th - January 31st, Excursion Outokumpu + Audition Helsinki
During this working week, MA CoDE students will develop future-oriented teaching formats based on their individual profiles, which they have developed from the researched movement material and vocabulary of the main topics. A curriculum has been designed that will be used in the basic and contemporary training in Outokumpu and discussed with the lecturers there. This is the ninth collaboration with Riveria / tanssin koulutus / dance education in Outokumpu. At the end of the week, on January 31st, the international MA CoDE audition will take place at the Zodiak Centre for New Dance.
October 23rd - February 12th
During this working week, MA CoDE students will develop future-oriented teaching formats based on their individual profiles, which they have developed from the researched movement material and vocabulary of the main topics. A curriculum has been designed that will be used in the basic and contemporary training in Outokumpu and discussed with the lecturers there. This is the ninth collaboration with Riveria / tanssin koulutus / dance education in Outokumpu. At the end of the week, on January 31, the international MA CoDE audition will take place at the Zodiak Centre for New Dance.