Physical Therapy - Sober Rave Session

The Vondelpark Open Air Theatre transforms into a bustling dance factory, where professional dancers and DJ share their energy with the audience. Carried along by the rhythm, in-sync breathing, heat building up: a rave emerges, a powerful and irresistible release. Just like on the dance floor of a club, it's all about moving together, losing yourself in the music and completely immersing yourself in the moment. No alcohol, no drugs - the energy comes from within.

According to Connor Schumacher, dance is not only physically intense, but also a mental challenge. His style is steeped in club dance and rave culture: incessant beats, a trance-like surrender and collective ecstasy. In Physical Therapy, he also plays with repetition and endurance, making the work feel like a ritual of movement.

Schumacher's minimalist, repetitive movement language raises questions about freedom, control and social patterns.
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Dance is a collective experience here that makes us think about how we move - and how we live together. Because even when everything around us feels elusive, our bodies remain a source of self-control and expression.

Some spectators enjoy his work as a liberating, almost meditative experience, while others find the intensity and physical exhaustion confrontational. Either way, his performances leave no one unmoved.

In 2019, Connor Schumacher won the Dutch Dance Festival Award. From the jury statement: 'His performances are exhilarating, promote interaction and show the human dimension, with a focus on deep connections. Schumacher succeeds in making the audience look at dance in a new way and makes it possible for them to feel what dance can mean.'

created and performed by Viktor Szeri
music András Molnár
video Tamás Páll
light Ferenc Payer
special thanks to Andi Soos Lili Raubinek Csenge Vass
production partner Katlan Group
supported by NKA EMMI Katlan Group Sin Arts Culture Center Mu Theater Trafo House of Contemporary Arts