Flying Bach

Have you heard of the show Flying Bach? I first saw them on the morning news last year and immediately knew I had to see them in person, so Kerstin and I stalked tickets online until we were finally able to track some down for this spring. (They're currently on a Germany tour but who knows, maybe they'll go more international soon!)

The wait was finally over this week and let me just tell you, the show did not disappoint! I find the concept really really cool, but I'm also a big fan of mixing old with new and not sticking with tradition. As the pianist of the show says (he was awesome, by the way), their main goal with these events is "to bring break dance to the 'sacred' [fancy] venues and Bach to the youth on the streets." Pretty awesome goal, if you ask me.

Photos by Dirk Mathesius for Red Bull

It started off a little slow with a kind of storyline that I wasn't too sure about, but it quickly took off and proved extremely entertaining. I, personally, really liked how they danced to classical piano solos and then also to piano mixed with techno beats. Micha, on the other hand, wasn't so much a fan of the mixed music because he "really likes classical music and really likes techno music. But not together." So you know, something to consider. I also thought the group did a fantastic job of intertwining their break dancing with the ballet moves from the lone girl. She was spectacular - you couldn't keep your eyes off of her every time she was on stage (or is that just me and my long-hidden desire to be a ballerina?). Plus, really, the whole thing just looked like so freaking much fun! Especially the last three dances where the whole crew was just so smiley and you could tell what a great time they were having. Ahhh, to be able to dance and be awesome at it...

Photo by Red Bull

As an added bonus, the show took place in a seriously fantastic and very fitting location in Kreuzberg: trafo, a huge industrial hall that used to be a heating-and-power plant (that is also the newish home to the revered techno club, Tresor). I love locations like this because they are so Berlin. Giant, shabby, industrial would-be ruins that a group of creatives took it upon themselves to save and use to host all sorts of cultural events. And because of the massive size of the hall in which the show took place, the acoustics were incredible.

Photos by fine art berlin

If you get the chance, I highly recommend checking out Flying Bach or, if you're in Berlin, catching any event at trafo (they even sometimes host operas there, how sweet would that be?). Here's a good video to lure you in.

Note: No pictures from me because they weren't allowed, but these are better anyways. :) Also, I have no association with Flying Bach. Just think they're awesome.