TANZ

Biography
Florentina Holzinger studied choreography at the School for New Dance Development (SNDO) in Amsterdam. Kein Applaus für Scheiße(2011), the first joint production of Florentina Holzinger and Vincent Riebeek, earned them a reputation as “most provocative new choreographers” straight away.

In addition to further collaborations with Riebeek (Spirit, Wellness and, most recently, Schönheitsabend), Holzinger presented the solo Recovery in 2015, in which she processed the trauma of a serious accident she had during a performance. This was followed by Apollon, a piece in which Holzinger turned George Balanchine’s neoclassical ballet Apollon Musagète into a circus freak show with muses performing bizarre tricks rather than dancing attendance on the god.

In the press
“TANZ is Florentina Holzinger´s masterpiece.” (Der Standard 4.10.2019)

“Nevertheless, in this genre (TANZ/ dance) hardly an evening is more accessible. The performers who oscillate between energy and elegance inspire.” (Nachtkritik 3.10.2019)

“Amazing how smoothly Holzinger and her group bring back the anarchic element into the contemporary choreographic performance. Fascinating, how ironically she puts feminism as a discourse on the mischievously reference field of masculinity.”  (Der Standard 4.10.2019)

“…a spectacle offers Holzinger always” (Wiener Zeitung 3.10.2019)

Quotes on Florentina Holzinger
“A calculated border crossing, which hurts in every way, but also shows what performance art can do. Once you've seen "Apollon", you'll never forget those pictures (and the emotions that they trigger). That's great art.” (Peter Jarolin, jury statement for the NESTROY Special price nomination of Florentina Holzinger)

“The paradox, but at the same time very significant for the relationship between men and women, and even more so in the post-#MeToo era, is what triggers Florentina Holzinger's work, which pretty much shows how to deal with sexism and stereotype role models as a women: playful, laughing, fearless, with pride and confidence in their own strength.” (Andrea Heinz, Die Zeit)

Florentina Holzinger is "the superstar of the independent dance scene in Austria and (…) in contemporary European choreography." (Helmut Ploebst, der Standard)

“Apollon is a tightrope walk between extremes: a deliberately shocking art (inspired by body art of the 1970s) and pure, sometimes slapstick-like entertainment. (…) A great theater experience for whose, who are managing to stay.“ (Isabella Wallnöfer, Die Presse)

“Florentina Holzinger positions herself between high culture and trash, between immersive entertainment mechanisms and in-your-face gestures. It deconstructs, or rather, shatters neoliberal body politics and gender relations and let these dominant forms become vague tilting images.” (Ada Karlbauer, PW-Magazine)

“I also explicitly advocate a strong female body, because I believe that we have to be ready to fight for what we want and defend ourselves, and ultimately not be scarred – physically and mentally. One of my aims is to really be able to trust one's own body as a force and weapon, in order to gain power to make the right choice.” (Florentina Holzinger in Spike Magazine)

"They quote Balanchine in an ironic celebration of beauty. The lyre becomes a hangman's ax, the god is a rodeo bull automaton and the path to Parnassus is treading in a polonaise associated with dildos, not guaranteed unplugged. A superior, clever, fearless, terrific evening." (Egbert Tholl, Süddeutsche Zeitung)