Cranky Bodies a/company, founded in 2020 by choreographer Peter Pleyer and designer and visual composer Michiel Keuper, with the aim of exploring and reflecting on fundamental questions of non-hierarchical and cross-generational collaboration in a collective and continuous working practice. Methodologically, the company combines improvisational practices of the post-Judson Church era, which no longer sees choreography and improvisation as contradictory, with Susan Leigh Foster's concept of "improvised choreography" and experimentation with non-hierarchical, collective working methods.
Peter and Michiel's collaboration began during their studies in Arnhem (NL); their joint projects merge Peter's choreographic work and Michiel's visual compositions, including costume and space design.
The group of international performers has been developing joint projects since 2014, such as the HKF-funded ensemble works "Visible Undercurrent" (2014), "Cranky Bodies Dance Reset" (2017), "Terrestrial Transit" (2022) and the German-Polish exchange project "Moving the Mirror", which has been running since 2016. Her work is continuously supported by DOCK ART Berlin.
Photo: Michiel Keuper