(Germany)
The guest performance is carried out in partnership with and with the financial support of the Goethe-Institut Bulgarien and the Ministry of Culture.
The “Four Non Blondes” project takes an essay by the American author Claudia Rankine as an opportunity to explore the phenomenon of “blondness”. During a dinner with female university lecturers, Rankine was asked how they should respond when their Black students bleach their hair blond. Unable to provide a clear answer, she began to engage more deeply with this topic, ultimately resulting in an essay that examines blondness and its inherent ambivalences.
Blond hair originated approximately 11 000 years ago as a genetic mutation in Northern Europe. In regions with weaker sunlight, lighter hair allowed for better Vitamin D absorption. Today, only about 2% of the global population naturally has blond hair. Its rarity has made blondness highly desirable, sparking the development of various bleaching techniques over centuries. Depending on the era and cultural context, the significance of blond hair has shifted, creating a complex cultural history full of contradictions.
One of the most well-known stereotypes suggests that blondes are simple-minded and sexually available. In contrast, 48% of female CEOs in S&P 500 companies are blond, as are the majority of university directors in the United States. Blond hair, predominantly associated with Europeans with lighter skin, has also become a symbol of whiteness.
This project, featuring a diverse cast of “non-blondes,” delves into the multifaceted nuances of blondness, combining the cultural history of blond hair with the personal experiences of the performers.
Christoph Winkler is one of Germany’s most distinguished and versatile choreographers. His work spans a wide range of formats and themes, from deeply personal narratives to political subjects. Under the umbrella of “Company Christoph Winkler,” he brings together dancers from around the world to collaborate as temporary collectives on a broad spectrum of content. Since 1996, he has created over 98 dance pieces as a freelance artist.
In 2014, his piece DANCE IS NOT ENOUGH won the FAUST Prize of the German Stage Association in the category of “Best Choreography.” In 2016, the FAUST Prize was once again awarded to one of his productions when Aloalii Tapu was named “Best Dancer” for the solo Urban Soul Café.
In recent years, he has successfully presented several music-inspired productions, such as Ernest Berk – The Complete Expressionist, Julius Eastman – Speak Boldly, and We Are Going To Mars.
For the past two years, the company has focused on the project “Environmental Dances”, which brings together international video dance works addressing the topic of climate change.
In 2020, Christoph Winkler was awarded the George Tabori Award. In May 2022, he received the German Dance Prize, the highest honor for dance professionals in Germany.
The international program of Antistatic Festival for Contemporary Dance and Performance is organized by the “Brain Store Project” Foundation and the “Nomad Dance” Association, with the financial support of the Ministry of Culture, Sofia Municipality – Calendar of Cultural Events, Goethe-Institut Bulgarien, the research project DanceMap funded by “Horizon Europe” Programme of the European Union, and in partnership with RCCI “Toplocentrala”, and “Academia” Gallery of the National Academy of Art.
Ticket prices: Рay What You Can – you choose between 40, 30 or 20 BGN according to your means.
With care and understanding of the different situations our audience members find themselves in, in 2025 Antistatic introduces a “pay what you can” pricing policy for all tickets to the events in the festival programme with an entry. Each spectator can choose how much to pay for their ticket from three price categories – 40, 30 and 20 BGN.
Until May 4, 2025, all students and colleagues working in the field of dance can also benefit from special tickets for 15 BGN.