A dance-based exploration of complex principles of nature. The dramaturg Miria Wurm writes on the fascinating phenomenon of mycelia and her work with the choreographer Diego Tortelli.

From the outside, the pieces Diego and I create may initially seem heavily influenced by science. However, it’s not that we deliberately choose science as a starting point for our collaborative work. More often, it simply arises from the fact that we’re deeply fascinated by details, by the thinking behind new developments, and the extraordinary perspectives on a wide range of topics. And so, we often “stumble upon” statements, scientific projects, and similar things that we just can’t shake and want to explore further. We’ve never gone out specifically looking for inspiration for new pieces, it’s usually the other way around. It often begins with casual conversations, sparked by our own solitary, slightly obsessive deep dives into a topic, which we then share with each other as friends. I think that’s also the real reason why we’re not immediately concerned with whether or how a topic can be translated into bodies and dance. It’s more like the topic chooses us and the reason for that usually only becomes clear during our own quiet process of research.

And that, to me, is exactly what makes the "independent scene" so appealing: you're not immediately bound by an external framework the way you would be with commissioned work. That’s why many of these conceptual collages and ideas exist only in my sketchbooks and I don’t feel the need for them to see the light of day. Diego is the only person who has access to the collection of notes and thoughts that occupy me. This example really shows that there's always a very personal process behind our work that our own lives are deeply woven into these seemingly abstract or supposedly cool, science-based thought constructs.

In the case of TERRANOVA | hidden link, I once watched an interview with the British biologist Merlin Sheldrake, in which he talked about how fungi influence our lives and our world. He also wrote the book Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds and Shape Our Futures. What struck me was that he said we humans have been trying for years to understand and interpret this species, which is neither plant nor animal but because of its complexity and radically different behavior, structures, and processes, it pushes us to the edges of our imagination. We try to project our ideas, metaphors, and concepts of the world onto fungi, which is why Sheldrake describes them as a kind of prism that breaks apart our thought patterns, allowing us to gain insight into the social-biological systems we’re currently embedded in. And also how we perceive and understand our own lives and the world around us.

Fungi are a species that has existed on Earth for over a billion years and have greatly influenced evolution, for example, by helping algae move from water to land in symbiosis. Even today, 90% of plants still rely on this kind of symbiosis with mycelia, or “true fungi.” On the other hand, fungi also possess an enormous power, I would call it manipulation or destruction because through their chemical capabilities, they digest their food from the inside out. They can break down stones, crude oil, and even certain types of plastic. In doing so, they also tap into insects, reprogramming their behavior in still-unexplored ways that cause them to mutate like zombies which fungi then use for reproduction. Once you realize all this, it becomes clear why science refers to them as a “Third Kingdom.” It also explains why Diego and I were so drawn to immerse ourselves in their world, one that is, in many ways, superior to our own. "Even in the calmest moments, there’s a constant pulsing".

When it came to actually bringing TERRANOVA | hidden link to life, it was clear to us from the start that we didn’t just want to show the “nice” aspect of symbiosis with plants. We wanted to focus on the enormous force and will to survive that drives fungi through the most incredible adaptation processes and, when viewed broadly, runs through the world from within. Because of this, the choreography Diego developed for the piece is a tremendous physical challenge for our two dancers, Hélias TurDorvault and Fabio Calvisi. The choreography never stops or rests, especially as a duet, it demands not only physical exertion, but also immense willpower from both of them. Even in the quietest moments, you can see a constant pulsing and an urge to penetrate the material from a barely perceptible “below.” Only in this way can we, for ourselves, create this “hidden link.” This gives Fabio and Hélias a quality that, in our eyes, is inhuman, hard to grasp something the viewer should feel connected to, yet still constantly experience as being fragmented, like light through a prism.

By Miria Wurm

TORTELLI/WURM: 
Since 2018, Diego Tortelli and Miria Wurm have been developing dance projects that incorporate modern technologies and scientific theories. Their choreographic style deconstructs the body into geometric formulas, revealing its beauty and fragility. Their works have been presented at platforms such as Aerowaves and the Biennale Danza di Venezia.

Credits:

A production of Diego Tortelli & Miria Wurm GbR     

Funded by Fonds Darstellende Künste with funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media within the program NEUSTART KULTUR Germany. And by the Cultural Foundation of Stadtsparkasse Munich.                                                                                                                
Co-Produced and supported by Orsolina28 – Art Foundation.                                                                                                                                   
With the kind support of Tanztendenz München e.V. and HochX Theater