COCOONDANCE was founded by Rafaële Giovanola and Rainald Endraß in 2000 on the occasion of the Festival Off in Avignon. It emerged from the former Ensemble of the Choreography Theatre of the City of Bonn. COCOONDANCE wanted to enable experienced artists with background from various state theatre companies, i.e., (Ballett Frankfurt William Forsythe, Pina Bausch), to try out their creativity and personality in projects in an independent environment. From a split between state theatre and the independent scene COCOONDANCE has grown considerably in stature in North Rhein Westphalia, and has found a poetic dance theatre aesthetic entirely of its own. Social themes are carefully staged as narrative mind games and abstract narratives where sensitive music, close body contact combine to create rich choreographic images. Productions, which were developed from a conflict between theatre and abstraction, have stirred much national attention. COCOONDANCE has been invited to perform nationally and internationally and have won numerous awards.
Artistic development is based on improvisation and ensemble work. Although projects are low- budget, artistic freedom is essential, placing special emphasis on form and content in a broader context. Experimental possibilities are not confined to constraints of commercial success, rather, content and artistic quality are established by democratic structures and team work.
The company maintains professional working conditions and has organized a "network" of co-producers and partners, as well as of sponsors and promoters, (e.g., in Switzerland), as well as a collaboration with > Mechtild Tellmann Kulturmanagement in Cologne.
COCOONDANCE has toured in France, United Kingdom, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Belarus, Russia, China, Kirgizstan, Venezuela, Brazil, Berlin, at the "Schrittmacher" festival in Aachen, at the "Tanzstrasse 2002" in Cologne, Düsseldorf, Krefeld and Bonn, at the Tanztheater festival in Schwerte in 2003 and 2005, at the "Theaterzwang", (Theater Force), of the two-year old "Best Of" gathering of the independent scene of North Rhine Westphalia, as well as with the 2002 REFLEX promotion prize of the Patrizia-Van-Roessel Foundation in Groningen (NL).
Since the 2004/05 season COCOONDANCE is responsible for the dance program in the > theaterimballsaal, which is financially supported by the city of > Bonn. And, together with the experimental theatre group, > fringe ensemble they are responsible for organization, program planning and financing.
COCOONDANCE is continually seeking dialogue and artistic exchange between other Tanztheater groups both home and abroad. Thus, e.g., they co-organized and were in charge of the first Ballsaal Festival "Spiele ohne Grenzen", ("Play without Borders") in the summer of 2005.
