Tambourines

Trajal Harrell's latest work “Tambourines” is another masterpiece of his literary-inspired choreographies, of which ‘The Romeo’ was last seen at Tanz im August: A young woman has a child, and everyone is wondering who the father is. But Hester Prynne refuses to reveal who it is. In 17th-century America, this kind of stubbornness cannot go unpunished, so Hester is forced to wear a scarlet red “A” on her chest at all times.Back when the author Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote the novel “The Scarlet Letter,” there was no designation for women who had a free approach to their bodies and sexuality, and even less support. In their honour, choreographer and dancer Trajal Harrell takes an imaginative look back:

What could have happened in those colonial times, when European settlers occupied foreign territory and subjected their women to arbitrary rules if a woman with an illegitimate child had actually been condemned to wear the scarlet “A”? From where would gloating and solidarity have been expected?


Together with six dancers, Harrell, who was recently honoured with the Silver Lion at the Biennale Danza in Venice, creates a monument to a history full of remorse – and celebrates the possibility of changing the future with the audience. With their puritanical brown, floor-length dresses with large white collars, they create a choreographic maelstrom of love, jealousy and revenge from which it is impossible to escape.Further press reviews“Another reason to love Trajal Harrell!” The Guardian“


Harrell leads his ensemble through the fashion show as if he wanted to crown the defilee from ‘The Romeo’. Like Raimund Hoghe once did, he also draws lines from the philosophy of Butoh to Western culture. The result is above all: radiance.” tanz

approx. 80 mins.