Embracing the Unknown
Thusnelda Mercy
Intensive
Embracing the Unknown
Thusnelda Mercy
Thusnelda Mercy
16.09. - 19.09.2025
Di 18-20:45Uhr
Mi-Fr 09:00 - 11:45Uhr
Intermediate/Advanced
On the path to creative expression, we often find ourselves at a crossroads between our first impulse and conscious analysis:
Do we follow our instincts – or do we search for the reason behind them?
In this workshop, Thusnelda Mercy invites us to use this space of "not knowing" as a source of choreographic inspiration. Building on her many years of experience as a dancer and assistant to Pina Bausch and Sasha Waltz, as well as co-artistic director of merighi | mercy, she has developed her own methods and tools for compositional work, which will be explored in this workshop.
Part 1 – Technical Preparation
Body and mind are prepared for an open working method through targeted exercises and choreographic tools. Technique, clarity, and mindfulness create a foundation for creative exploration.
Part 2 – Associative Movement Research
Improvisation exercises serve as stimuli for delving deeper into personal movement landscapes. The focus is on engaging with the moment, with one another – without preconceived answers, but with alert presence.
"Embracing the Unknown" encourages us to take our own perspective seriously – while simultaneously developing a vocabulary that connects our personal experiences to the world.
Thusnelda Mercy was born in Marseille in 1977 and grew up in Wuppertal.
After working as a dancer and actress at the Theater der Klänge in Düsseldorf, she continued her dance studies at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen. There she also worked with the Taiwanese artist Kuo-Chu Wu (1970–2006), both as a dancer in his choreographies and as his assistant.
At the Folkwang University, she became acquainted with the work of Juan Kruz de Garaio Esnaola, for whom she also worked as an assistant. This collaboration led her to Berlin in 2002, where she collaborated with the German choreographer Sasha Waltz on the production NoBODY. Since then, she has regularly appeared as a guest dancer in her productions.
From 2001, she danced in Pina Bausch's (1940–2009) Spring Sacrifice (The Rite of Spring), and in 2003, she became a permanent member of the Wuppertal Dance Theater ensemble, where she performed both in the repertoire and in numerous new productions.
In 2008, Pina Bausch asked her to assist in the creation of Sweet Mambo. Since 2015, Thusnelda Mercy has regularly returned to the dance theater as a guest artist.
She can also be seen in the film PINA by German director Wim Wenders.
Since 2009, she has been developing the Trio CDT project with Clémentine Deluy and Damiano Ottavio Biggi – a choreographic venture that has produced both her own pieces and works by other artists. These include Herbst (2009) by Malou Airaudo and SAMUEL – titre de travail (2015), directed by Pascal Merighi. At the same time, the trio pursues intensive educational work in the form of workshops in Germany, India, Italy, Argentina, and Chile.
In 2013, she was brought to the stage by the French choreographer Lucas Manganelli for the solo "Agrégat" as part of the Dañsfabrik Festival in Brest, France.
In 2014, she took over the organization of the Bachibouzouk Festival in collaboration with Mare e.V. and Ada and performed in the special edition "Bachibouzouk – Special" under the direction of Pascal Merighi.
The artistic encounter with the actress and author Florence Minder in 2015 led to their collaboration on the solo "Sharing a Power Socket," which premiered at the FAA (Fabrique Autonome des Acteurs) Festival in France.
That same year, she worked with the Fabien Prioville company and created the piece "SOMA Project" in collaboration with Japanese artists.
She continues her work as a choreographer, most recently with the piece This is my Now for 22 students at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen.
