Constanza Macras was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she studied dance and fashion design, at the Buenos Aires University (UBA).
She continued her dance studies in Amsterdam and New York (Merce Cunningham Studios). In 1995, Macras moved to Berlin and danced for various companies. In 1997, she founded her own first company TAMAGOTCHI Y2K.
Between 1998 and 2000, TAMAGOTCHI Y2K presented four pieces: Wild Switzerland (1998), Face One (1999), In Between (2000) and Dolce Vita (2000), a site-specific live music performance that combined artists from various disciplines. It was created as a one-time event for each specific location.
From 2001 to 2002, Macras developed and presented the trilogy MIR: A Love Story.
In 2002, she also curated the project ‘PORNOsotros’, where she performed together with Lisi Estaras (Ballets C. de la B.) under the direction of different directors four short pieces dealing with the subject of pornography at Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz, Berlin.
She taught workshops and master classes in Japan, the United States (Walker Arts Center in Minneapolis, ‘On the Boards’ in Seattle, India Atakalari Dance Center), France, Italy (Rome University for Performing Arts), Belgium (Antwerp University), the Netherlands (Henny Jurriens Foundation), Switzerland and Germany (Hochschule fuer Schauspielkunst ‘Ernst Busch’ and at the University of Arts UdK, both in Berlin).
In 2008 Constanza Macras received the Goethe-Institut Award for an outstanding German production for her piece Hell On Earth.
In 2010 she was awarded with the Arts at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) William L. Abramowitz Residency. Since 1961, the series has brought renowned performing artists and writers to MIT to perform, present public lectures, and collaborate with students in free programs.
In the same year Constanza Macras was awarded the national German theater-prize DER FAUST for best choreography for the piece Megalopolis.
Next to her productions with her company CONSTANZA MACRAS | DorkyPark , Constanza Macras has also created:
- Paraíso sem Concolação (2008) a commission work of the Goethe Institut São Paulo with dancers from the company and a Brazilian cast. Premiered in São Paulo.
- Ein Sommernachtstraum (2006) together with Thomas Ostermeier, the Schaubühne ensemble and dancers from CONSTANZA MACRAS | DorkyPark. Premiered at the Hellenic Festival.
- Pegarle a la Bolsa (2004) a commission from the Goethe-Institut Cordoba (Argentina).
Happiness (2003) for the ballet of the Saarländisches Staatstheater.
CONSTANZA MACRAS | DorkyPark
In 2003 CONSTANZA MACRAS | DorkyPark was created by Constanza Macras and dramaturge Carmen Mehnert. The company integrates dancers, actors and musicians with performers that range from 4 to 72 years old, combining text, live music, dance and video.
CONSTANZA MACRAS | DorkyPark has toured in Korea, Japan, India, Indonesia, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, South Africa, the United States and has been invited to various European venues and festivals like Festival d’Avignon in France and Aarhus Festival in Denmark.
The company and its productions are supported by the Capital Cultural Fund and the Governing Mayor of Berlin – Department for Cultural Affairs and works regularly with HELLERAU – European Center for the Arts Dresden ans with Berlin based venues such as Hebbel am Ufer and Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz. Next to Constanza Macras and her company have been supported by and collaborating with the Goethe-Instiut since 2005.
The company’s productions are:
COMING UP
NATURE OF CRISIS(2012) site-specific. A production with the National Theater of Wales in partnership with the London 2012 Festival, the finale of the Cultural Olympiad. In the forests of north Wales. Nature of Crisis will explore the mythological and contemporary drive towards transformation through a simultaneous event in the forest and the city centre.
PRODUCTIONS
Open For Everything (2012) In this special production Constanza Macras is drawing the attention to the current situation of the Romani-people in Middle and Eastern Europe. The piece is created with Romani musicians and performers who team up with performers of the company. A production by CONSTANZA MACRAS | DorkyPark and the GOETHE-INSTITUT. In co-production with Wiener Festwochen, New Stage of National Theatre Prague, Trafó House of Contemporary Arts Budapest, International Theatre Festival Divadelná Nitra, Hebbel am Ufer Berlin, Kampnagel Hamburg, HELLERAU – European Center for the Arts Dresden and Dansens Hus Stockholm and Zürcher Theater Spektakel. Supported by the Capital Cultural Fund and the Governing Mayor of Berlin – Department for Cultural Affairs and the Open Society Foundations- with contribution of the Arts and Culture Program of Budapest.
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Here / After (2011) Created and performed by four dancers and one musician. A piece about Agoraphobia. A production by CONSTANZA MACRAS | DorkyPark and Hebbel Theater am Ufer Berlin.
Berlin Elsewhere (2011) Created and performed by ten dancers and two musicians who explore the borders of segregation and madness in our modern society. A production by CONSTANZA MACRAS | DorkyPark and Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz Berlin. In co-production with HELLERAU – European Center for the Arts Dresden, Maison des Arts de Creteil, the Perspectives Festival Saarbrücken and tanzhaus nrw. Supported by the Capital Cultural Fund and the Governing Mayor of Berlin – Department for Cultural Affairs.
The Offside Rules (2010) In this special collaboration, three performers from Constanza Macras’ company team up with dancers from Johannesburg to reflect on the first African World Cup. A co-production of the Market Theatre, Goethe-Institut South Africa and CONSTANZA MACRAS | DorkyPark.
Megalopolis (2009) Created and performed by ten dancers and three musicians, deals with the phenomenon of megacities as a paradigm for spaces on which people live without knowing each other. MEGALOPOLIS was produced by CONSTANZA MACRAS | DorkyPark and Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz, Berlin and co-produced with HELLERAU – European Center for the Arts Dresden, MESS Sarajevo. Supported by the Capital Cultural Fund and the Governing Mayor of Berlin – Department for Cultural Affairs.
Oedipus Rex (2009) The creation of Constanza Macras’ first opera project. Igor Stravinsky’s OEDIPUS REX for eight dancers. It premiered in November 2009 with the collaboration of the Dresdener Kammerchor and Festspielhaus Hellerau. The Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota, with whom Constanza Macras realized the project IN SILENCE at the Kanagawa Art Foundation of Yokohama in 2008, designed the stage. OEDIPUS REX was produced by CONSTANZA MACRAS | DorkyPark and HELLERAU – European Center for the Arts Dresden and co-produced by Hebbel am Ufer Theater Berlin and Theatre de La Place Liege. Supported by the Capital Cultural Fund and the Governing Mayor of Berlin – Department for Cultural Affairs.
Hell on Earth (2008) is dealing with adolescents from immigrated families living in the Berlin district Neukölln. A production by CONSTANZA MACRAS | DorkyPark and Hebbel am Ufer Theater Berlin. In co-production with Kampnagel Hamburg. Supported by the Capital Cultural Fund and the Governing Mayor of Berlin – Department for Cultural Affairs.
Brickland (2007) Named after a vacant residential development in Buenos Aires, Brickland is not revealed as a concrete location but rather as a symbol of many cities in the globalized world that are, in essence, interchangeable: gated communities as we know from the United States, South America, India or China. Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz, DuiDijon, Theatre de La Place Liege, Le Maillon Strasbourg, Kampnagel Hamburg, Teatro Comunale di Ferrara. Supported by the Capital Cultural Fund and the Governing Mayor of Berlin – Department for Science and Culture.
I’m not the only one.part1 and .part2 (created in 2006, premiered in January 2007) In this project Constanza Macras follows the heroes’ and heroines’ different journeys breaking through obstacles and difficulties to the archetypal images. A production by CONSTANZA MACRAS | DorkyPark and Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Le Maillon Strasbourg, Fondazione Musica per Roma, Le DuoDijon, Schauspielhaus Wien. Supported by the Capital Cultural Fund and the Governing Mayor of Berlin – Department for Cultural Affairs.
Sure, shall we talk about it? (2005) A piece about the expectations put over the female body related to fitness, wellnee and brands performed by eleven female dancers from different countries accompanied by three musicians. Milano Fashion Week, Hebbel am Ufer. A production by CONSTANZA MACRAS | DorkyPark. Supported by NIKE.
No Wonder (2005) created in collaboration with Lisi Estaras. A research about the gender roles in the superlative from the 1970ies till today. Hebbel Am Ufer Theater Berlin, Le Maillon Strasbourg.
Big in Bombay (2005) ‚Kill time or it’s dead time’. Constanza Macras and her company are exploring the questions of cultural identity and stardom. A production by CONSTANZA MACRAS | DorkyPark and Berliner Festspiele – spielzeit europa, Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz. In co-production with Teatro Comunale di Ferrara, Schauspielhaus Wien, sophiensaele. Supported by the Senatsverwaltung für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kultur.
Back to the Present (2004) Stage-Specific A production by CONSTANZA MACRAS | DorkyPark and Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz. Co-production by Maison des Arts de Creteil, Lille 2004 – European Cultural Capital, sophiensaele.
Back to the Present (2004) Site specific. The first production of the company CONSTANZA MACRAS | DorkyPark was the site specific version Back to the Present. Back to the Present was integrated into a derelict early 20th century department store the Kaufhaus Jandorf, in the middle of Berlin. Almost 6 hours long, Back to the Present was presented to audiences throughout the house.
Scratch Neukölln (2003) merging the company with ten pre-teens primarily from recently immigrated families living in the sensitive district Neukoelln of Berlin. Hebbel Am Ufer HAU 1.