LAYOUT EN, ON STAGE, UPCOMING EVENTS
How many plastic cups do we use in the course of our life? Two performers explore the story of our peculiar evolution and dig into the complexity of the topic “ecological intelligence”. Along the way, they keep raising new questions and find a steadily growing pile of trash.Using a mix of animated drawings, dance and sound scapes, TRASHedy takes an honest and humorous look at our freedom of choice and consumerism. Because everything we do has an effect. Somewhere.
Over the past ten years, Trashedy has toured in India, Japan, Iceland, France, Hungary, Liechtenstein, South Korea, and China, among other places—and is finally returning to Cologne for its 250th performance at ehrenfeldstudios. Following the show: pg:jam & the 250th Trashedy Anniversary Party
DATES
Fri, 11.09.2026 | 11 am
Sat, 12.09.2026 | 6 pm
TICKETS
Click here for online reserversations.
Reservations can also be made by phone:
Tel.: +49 221 846 395 80
ACCESSIBILITY
Barrier-free access.
Largely accessible toilet in the neighbouring building, No grab rails or height-adjustable mirror available.
Accompanying persons receive free admission.
On request we offer a touch tour before the performance. Please contact us via organisation@ehrenfeldstudios.de
ABOUT THE ENSEMBLE
performing:group is a dance and performance ensemble based in Cologne. Their pieces have been performed approximately 700 times in over 20 countries worldwide. Their works explore the “conditio humana”; psychological models and philosophical questions are just as present in their pieces as social issues. Playfulness, humor, ambiguity, and the deliberate embrace of confusion are key artistic principles.
CREDITS
Produced by performing:group and tanzhaus nrw
Dance: Marie-Lena Kaiser or Daniel Mathéus or Marcela Ruiz Quintero or Julia Mota Carvalho
Concept and direction: Leandro Kees
Production development: Leandro Kees, Daniel Mathéus, Martin Rascher
Dramaturgy: Daniel Mathéus, Leandro Kees
Dramaturgical collaboration: Julia Mota Carvalho
Sound composition & video: Martin Rascher
TRASHedy is a production by performing:group and tanzhaus nrw as part of “Take-off: Young Dance.” It is also supported by the Kunststiftung NRW. The piece was created as part of the Take-off residency program “New Steps.” Leandro Kees is one of the choreographers of the EU program “Fresh Tracks Europe,” supported by the Culture Program of the European Union. “Take-off: Young Dance” is funded by the Cultural Affairs Office of the state capital of Düsseldorf and by the Ministry for Family, Children, Youth, Culture, and Sports of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. “Take-off: Young Dance” is a collaboration among Düsseldorf’s cultural, educational, and social institutions under the overall direction of tanzhaus nrw.
Photo: © C. Nestroy
ARCHIVE, LAYOUT EN
In collaboration with Ayberk Esen, ehrenfeldstudios invites you to a professional training class in contemporary dance. A rotating roster of regional and international instructors leads the classes, bringing diverse artistic perspectives, training methods, and movement approaches. The program is designed for dance students and professional dancers and provides a space for ongoing practice and artistic development.
DATES
10:00 am – 11:30 am each day
Mon, 30.03 – Thu, 02.04.2026 | with Ayberk Esen
Mon, 06.04 – Thu, 09.04.2026 | with Catalina Carrasco
Mon, 11.05 – Fri, 15.05.2026 | with Jovana Petrovska
Mon, 25.05 – Fri, 29.05.2026 | with Ayberk Esen
Mon, 01.06 – Fri, 05.06.2026 | with Ayberk Esen
Mon, 22.06 – Fri, 26.06.2026 | instructor tba
Mon, 06.07 – Fri, 10.07.2026 | with Ido Grinberg
Mon, 13.07. – Fri, 17.07.2026 | with Beljana Metje
Participation in individual sessions is also possible.
REGISTRATION
We kindly request that you register at tanzen@ehrenfeldstudios.de
Or by phone at +49 221 846 395 80
PARTICIPATION FEE
Single ticket: 9 euros
5-ticket pass: 40 euros
Profitrainingwith Ayberk Esen
The training starts with a dynamic warm-up that travels through the space including variations of complex & simple exercises, steps and floor work. The class develops into improvisational material: individually, with a partner and as a group, and rounds up in phrases that play with speed, musicality, levels and dynamic.
The two consecutive weeks of training with Ayberk offer an opportunity to delve deeper: during the final phase, the group will work together on a joint choreography that could open up further opportunities and collaborations.
About the artist
Ayberk Esen (1984) is a Caucasian folk dance based freelance contemporary dancer who lives & works in Europe since 2009. He received his BA from ZZT Köln , in addition to his previous studies in Istanbul and Salzburg , SEAD (2009) . Since 2010 he has been working in several projects in Austria, Bosnia, Germany, Spain and Holland with Georg Hobmeier (AU) // Flow Berger (AU) // Haris Pasovic (BIH) // Edward Clug (RO) // Georg Reichl (AU) // Jelena Kostic (SRB) // Helder Seabra (PT) // Karl Schreiner (DE) // Sandra Marin Garcia (ES) // Maura Morales, (CU) // Hakan T. Aslan (DE) // Michael Schmidt (DE) // Reut Shemesh ( ISR ) // Marguerite Donlon (IR)
In addition to performing, he has taught professional dance lessons and workshops at several institutions, including Tanzhaus Basel, the Henny Jurriëns Foundation in Amsterdam, Marameo in Berlin, Tanzhaus Zürich, Tanznetz in Freiburg, ZAIK in Cologne, Tanzhaus in Mannheim and Tanzhaus in Düsseldorf. He is also planning to teach at universities and dance colleges.
Eintanzhaus Mannheim, Company training, Copyright: Ayberk Esen
& HJS Amsterdam -Copyright: Henny Jurriëns Studio
Photo © Martin Miseré
Photo © Marta-Olszewska
Photo © Marta-Olszewska
Photo in the background © Almut Elhardt
LAYOUT EN, THE AGEING BODY – Generation + (EN)
Ageing Trouble stands for a sense of discomfort with age stereotypes and ageism, as well as for resistance and self-determined educational processes in later life. From a performativity-theoretical perspective, Miriam Haller develops in her book a performative cultural geragogy that connects Ageing Studies with cultural education in older age.
How are geragogical models of ageing deconstructed in literature? And how is Ageing Trouble brought to the stage in cultural education practice? To explore these questions, she analyzes the performativity of discourse on education and ageing, and opens up action-oriented perspectives on self-willed performances of ageing and aesthetic educational processes in later life. She does so through performative practices such as Un/doing Age, Un/doing Generations, Un/doing Biography, and Un/doing Beauty, based on three dance and theatre projects with older adults.
The study examines intergenerational dance projects by metabolisten/Silke Z. as well as the Ageing Body laboratories by Silke Z./resistdance; the performative practices of the senior theatre ensemble Golden Gorkis in their production “Ätsch Age!” under the direction of Ron Rosenberg at Maxim Gorki Theater Berlin; and the OLDSCHOOL ensemble with their production “Wunderschönes Welkfleisch” under the direction of David Vogel at Schauspiel Köln.
All three are part of the network and exchange project “NachWieVor. Tanzperformance & Alter(n)”, which was initiated by ehrenfeldstudios in 2022.
The book is now available for pre-order:
Miriam Haller (2026): Ageing Trouble! – Theorie, Diskursgeschichte und Praxis der Performativen Kulturgeragogik, Bielefeld: transcrit, Print und Open Access, https://www.transcript-publishing.com/978-3-8376-8013-3/ageing-trouble-theorie-diskursgeschichte-und-praxis-der-performativen-kulturgeragogik/
To mark the publication, a book launch party will take place on July 18, 2026, at 6 pm at ehrenfeldstudios. The event is being organized in collaboration with Dr. Miriam Haller’s passAGEnwerkstatt and will bring together invited guests from the fields of dance, academia, and cultural education for a private professional gathering.
FESTIVALS, LABS & WORKSHOPS, LAYOUT EN, ON STAGE, UPCOMING EVENTS
From September 17 to 20, 2026, we’ll be celebrating the first edition of the CONNECT Community Arts Festival at the ehrenfeldstudios. For four days, we’ll be hosting workshops, jam sessions, and an open performance workshop. Everyone is welcome to participate—regardless of prior dance experience!
The CONNECT Festival builds on our Community Arts Project from last year: Over the past 12 months, eight workshops for different target groups have taken place at ehrenfeldstudios, led by professional dance artists from North Rhine-Westphalia. Each workshop was tailored to a specific group: families, children and teens, mixed-ability groups, the LGBTQIA* community, people over 55, and people with a migration background.
The festival builds on this: All workshops will be offered again and warmly welcome both former participants and newcomers. The focus is on curiosity, openness, and the joy of dancing together.
A special highlight is the open jam session on Saturday evening: Here, participants from all workshops come together—across the different groups. After a group warm-up, we’ll open the space for improvisation, exchange, and free dancing.
On Sunday, our performance workshop is open to all workshop participants who’d like to continue working together and develop a performance. This will be presented in the evening as the collective finale of the festival.
CONNECT celebrates dancing together and collective creativity. For solidarity and cultural participation for all.
Following the festival, the CONNECT Community Arts Project will continue with additional workshops at the ehrenfeldstudios.
FESTIVAL PROGRAM
Thursday, 17.09.2026
6 – 7:30 pm
Friendship Flow | Workshop with Judith Niggehoff
For teens ages 13–22
6:00 – 7:30 pm
The Aging Body – Body, Dance, and Visibility | Workshop with Silke Z.
For everyone aged 55 and older
Friday, 18.09.2026
6 – 7:30 pm
FANTASY FAMILY DANCE | Workshop with BAAL
For children & families
Saturday, 19.09. 2026
10 am – 11:30 am
Corpo em Movimento / Body in Motion | Workshop with Sônia Mota
For women*
12 pm – 1:30 pm
Queering the Stage | Workshop with Malin Assmus
For the LGBTQ* community & anyone interested
2:30 pm – 4 pm
The Ageing Body – Dance and Parkinson’s | Workshop with Silke Z.
For people with Parkinson’s symptoms and anyone interested
4:30 – 6 pm
Cultural Moves | Workshop with Caroline Simon
For people of all cultures
6 – 7:30 pm
Dance Jam Session
Open to everyone
Sunday, 20.09.2026
11 am – 2 pm
DANCE TO THE MUSIC | Workshop with Khadidiatou Bangoura & Sabine Kuxdorf
For blind, visually impaired, and sighted people
3 – 6 pm
Performance LAB | Workshop with the festival team
For all workshop participants of the CONNECT Community Arts Project
6 pm
Showing of the Performance LAB workshop
REGISTRATION
We ask that you register in advance for all workshops at tanzen@ehrenfeldstudios.de
Or by phone at +49 221 846 395 80
PARTICIPATION FEES
Our workshops operate on a solidarity-based pricing model with a sliding scale. Within this framework, you decide for yourselves how much you’d like to and are able to pay. Those who can afford to pay more help support other participants.
Workshops (90 min): 15–30 euros
For two or more workshops: starting at 10 euros per workshop
Performance Workshop (180 min): 30–60 euros
No one will be excluded from participation for financial reasons.
Participation in the Dance Jam Session and the Performance LAB Workshop showing is on a donation basis.
ACCESSIBILITY
Barrier-free access.
Largely accessible toilet in the neighbouring building, No grab rails or height-adjustable mirror available.
Accompanying persons receive free admission.
CONNECT Community Arts Festival is funded by RheinEnergie Stiftung Kultur and Office for Cultural Affairs Cologne.
Foto: © S. Große-Wortmann
Community Arts Festival 2026 (EN), CONNECT – Community Arts Project, LABS & WORKSHOPS, LAYOUT EN, MEGA - Kids & Teens (EN), UPCOMING EVENTS
This workshop is part of our CONNECT Community Arts Festival. Click here for an overview of the entire festival program.
When it hasn′t been your day, your week, your month, or even your year, but
I′ll be there for you
When the rain starts to pour
I’ll be there for you
Like I′ve been there before
I’ll be there for you
Cause you’re there for me too
We have all had a best friend at some point. A person we tell everything to, who we text or call when something good or bad happens.
In this workshop, we will explore through dance what connects us to our friends. Can friendship be found in our bodies? How much closeness and distance do we need? And how much strength do we find in our friendships?
The workshop is aimed at all young people between the ages of 13 and 20, with or without dance experience. Together, we will discover how to approach the topic through dance. Bring your best friend!
DATE
Thu, 17.09.2026 | 6 – 7:30 pm
PARTICIPATION FEE
Our workshops follow a solidarity-based pricing model with a sliding scale. Within this framework, you decide for yourselves how much you’d like to and are able to pay. Those who can afford to pay more help support other participants.
Workshops (90 min): 15–30 euros
For two or more CONNECT workshops: starting at 10 euros per workshop
No one will be excluded from participating for financial reasons.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Judith Niggehoff initiates and accompanies artistic processes as a form of expression and education for young people in her roles as dance and theater educator, choreographer, and director. She has developed numerous productions with young people at Schauspiel Köln and Theater Marabu. Together with Sophie Halcour and Saliha Shagasi, she is part of KONNECTIVE. A performance collective whose artistic focus is on social issues that are explored from an intersectional feminist perspective.
CONNECT Community Arts Festival is funded by RheinEnergie Stiftung Kultur and Office for Cultural Affairs Cologne.
Photo: Anna Sorgalla
