Mirjam Motzke
ABOUT ME
I am an interdisciplinary artist and professional dancer with a deep passion for exploring the connections between movement, visual art, and experimental performance. My foundation in classical ballet and contemporary dance techniques, combined with a strong improvisational practice, allows me to push boundaries and craft performances that are authentic, resilient, and deeply engaging.
Beyond my artistic practice, I value collaboration, mutual respect, and empathy as essential to fostering a supportive and dynamic creative environment. I believe that art flourishes in spaces where diverse voices are celebrated, and I am committed to creating works that reflect this ethos.
With a commitment to continual growth and experimentation, I strive to develop art that resonates deeply, challenges perceptions, and opens new creative possibilities.
My name is Mirjam Motzke, and I am from Friedberg, Bavaria. I began my dance studies at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Frankfurt am Main in 2017, graduating in 2023. During my studies, I gained valuable experience through internships with the Hessian State Ballet and the Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company in 2021. I also had the opportunity to perform as a guest dancer at the Frankfurt Opera and the State Ballet in Wiesbaden.
Starting in February 2022, I became part of the Hessian State Ballet through the Dis-Tanz Start program. In 2023, I returned as a guest artist to the Frankfurt Opera and worked as a freelance dancer. During the 2023/24 season, I was a member of the ensemble at Tanz Münster, where I also choreographed my own work, Mut zur Hässlichkeit. Currently, I am pursuing a master's degree in Theatre, Film, and Media Studies at Goethe University Frankfurt am Main.
Choreography
Mut zur Hässlichkeit
The dance piece "Mut zur Hässlichkeit", created as part of the Patchwork format at Theater Münster and premiering on June 15th, explores the journey of finding one’s place while negotiating personal values and needs in contrast to external demands and circumstances. The production’s starting point was a collaboration with musician Romeo Kollmann, whose recorded electric guitar practice sessions formed the basis of the composition. Inspired by the works of John Cage, everyday and incidental sounds were integrated into the music to create a raw and honest auditory experience.
Rooted in improvisation, the piece addresses autobiographical experiences within institutionalized dance, delving into themes of powerlessness, frustration, self-empowerment, the balance between needs and demands, and authenticity in movement and expression. These elements are subtly depicted through confrontational moments and the use of personal objects on stage, offering the audience diverse interpretative possibilities.
Concept/Choreography: Mirjam Motzke
Choreographic Assistant: Hera Norin
Stage Design/Lighting/Costumes: Mirjam Motzke
Dance: Mirjam Motzke
Music/Composition: Romeo Kollmann
Rotational Distances
As part of a freelance project, I collaborated with Richard Oberscheven to develop the movement material and spatial concept for Rotational Distance II.
Rooted in Oberscheven's process-oriented choreographic approach, Rotational Distance II is conceived as a progression of previous explorations. It is based on Edward T. Hall's principles of "public distance zones" and personal observations of physical and social distancing during the (post-)pandemic period. The piece creates an interplay of rotating movement patterns, shifts of body axes, and points of proximity and contact at both intimate and expansive distances.
The performance was set to compositions from Morton Feldman’s Early Piano Pieces and took place at the KunstKulturKirche Allerheiligen in Frankfurt am Main.
Concept: Richard Oberscheven
Choreography and Dance: Mirjam Motzke and Richard Oberscheven
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/822877679?
Em Vie Em Jam
EM VI EM JAM was choreographed as part of my final project and remains a piece of significant personal interest. Developed through improvisation, the work explored the organic emergence of movement and narrative. While I see potential in its materials, stage design, and certain scenes, I also recognize opportunities for refinement in its structure, movement language, and musical accompaniment. I look forward to revisiting and developing this work further in the future.
The core concept of the piece was to create a flexible stage design using light and movable panels. Three wheeled wooden panels, covered in reflective foil, enabled dynamic transformations of the stage space. Dancers, guided by improvisational tasks and equipped with flashlights, altered audience perceptions and created optical illusions, forming an interplay between movement and space.
Concept/Choreography: Mirjam Motzke
Set and Light Design/Costume: Mirjam Motzke
Dance: Aline Aubert, Steven Fast, Luciano Baptiste
