Florentina Holzinger, portrait by Apollonia Bitzan. Image Courtesy of the Artist.
Florentina Holzinger doesn’t fit easily in any category. To see her choreography, to ‘read’ it, to let her in and be caught in her work causes a rollercoaster of deep emotion. Getting close to Florentina is only possible if one is ready to be open. Sometimes this seems easy: on stage, she is often exposed. At the same time, this vulnerability can seem like an obstacle.
Florentina Holzinger I am not scared of the word ‘provocation’. It is most important, for the experiences I create, for people to ‘radically feel’ – for everyone involved on stage and in the crowd. Essentially, it’s a way for me to share a visceral experience that often seems given. It is not important to categorise it rationally: everything that comes out of the self has no reason to be rational. You will trigger pain or overstep another’s boundaries – that happens. At the same time, I’m ready to redefine my own boundaries, too. But my boundaries aren’t someone else’s, and that’s why I can’t take my experience as a given. I don’t waste my energy imagining someone else’s reaction or what could be uncomfortable for them. To me, there is a clear parameter between what we performers perform and how the spectator reacts to certain questions. This is the reason why I am a part of the show. This way, I can experience how it must feel like in my own body – and out of this, the boundaries form by themselves. As long as I have the feeling that it’s okay, it’s doable for me. That’s how freedom is created on stage. If I was a spectator, it would be hard to estimate. I don’t have the desire to control the audience, their feelings or their reactions. I can fully understand that my work may be too intense for some people and that they might subsequently decide to leave. With our shows, we use real blood, which also tests some boundaries. You need a cathartic momentum in order to bring the performance across on stage. Something that causes a new way of seeing things. We have to find the truth to get there.
A Divine Comedy, Florentina Holzinger, photo by Nicole M Wytyczak, 2021. Image Courtesy of the Artist.
This is what I aim for and it’s not important whether it is comfortable or not. The potential of the dance and the choreography is still in the room. It was always one of my aims to explore a metaphysical level within it. What we try to express through dance is also very important. To me, it means so much more than just being a shell of my body. With every show, I take the opportunity to dive even deeper into different topics. They mostly stay the same, I just keep researching them within the means of my body. I enjoy trying and experimenting, this is my method to explore everything further. It is a never-ending process, a permanent journey of self-discovery. If you look closely, question yourself, explore, give your body precious time, you will think and wonder about the love you have for your body.
A Divine Comedy, Florentina Holzinger, photo by Nicole M Wytyczak, 2021. Image Courtesy of the Artist.
I started learning to care for my body, distancing myself from its ‘shell’, when I was a teenager. I have always felt torn in that respect. I feel totally comfortable in my body, and if I want to, I can go completely out of it, seeing it as an object rather than a living thing. In my work, these two options face each other equally. Only through the experiences I have had during my life could I get used to both states of my body and feel good with them. I see them both as my tools, my materials. ‘Love’ is a word that I rarely associate with my work. I prefer to work with terms like ‘resistance’ and ‘rebellion’. On the other hand, [my work] is also concerned with the reconciliation of the moment and the circumstances one finds themselves to be in. The idea of reconciliation motivates me. Of course, love is important. I always try to express a specific type of love, such as the love in family dynamics. To me, family is a topic that is very closely connected to love. I think it is important to showcase alternative family structures in order to visualise their ability to be a foundation for unconditional love. As a choreographer, this ideally flows into my work. With what we do, we need this type of love in order to create space for trust.
To me, what matters are values that reflect the structures of my life and my work. I do not need to write a long-winded statement: we have to reflect our political and societal views within the structure of our company. To push for change within the system of a company matters to me. I tend to use the term ‘action’ a lot, beyond dance and choreography. I want to lead an active life. There is always an opportunity to change your life, and you carry the responsibility to do so. Taking control of your life and practising the art of autonomy in love is what fuels me. If you start with yourself, you can be generous and supportive when it comes to others. Be aware, create, take your freedom.
Florentina Holzinger, photo by Radovan Dranga. Image Courtesy of the Artist.
As featured in SLEEK 72 – LOVE. Available in Print or Digital here.
Florentina Holzinger, born in 1986 in Vienna, is an Austrian choreographer and dancer. She studied choreography at the School for New Dance Development (SNDO) in Amsterdam, received the European scholarship of danceWEB in 2008 and the scholarship of ImPulsTanz Vienna in 2011. Her solo work Silk (2011) was awarded the Prix Jardin d’Europe. Her collaboration with Vincent Riebeek resulted in a trilogy consisting of Kein Applaus für Scheiße, Spirit and Wellness (2012–2013), which can still be seen today at various international performance festivals. Since 2021, she has been a permanent fixture at the Volksbühne Berlin.