Meditation on Non-Destruction is an ongoing research and a performance on the dynamics of conflict and war.

The notion of war has been accompanying humanity from its very inception, intrinsically linked to violence, destruction, and sensationalism. The concept of warfare in the 21st century has shifted from the traditional “frontal” approach to the so-called “network warfare”. The highly educated, tolerant and sensitive Western mind shuns away war (and conflict) just like it shuns away death, preferring to have it in a way that is mediated, to avoid the direct (body) experience of it.

As a result, the effects of warfare on the body itself are often compartmentalized to the kind of imagery that is merely shocking and sensational. Warfare is then (mis)understood as a kind of violent and destructive exercise only. The focus is mainly on the devastating results, excluding the actual practice and physical processes through which war shapes the human body society.

Taking the inspiration from the Russian martial art Systema as well as Cranio-Sacral Therapy, survival practices and other body/mind practices we conduct choreographic research to discover physical principles that govern the processes of destruction and recuperation.

We introduce various constellations of violent interactions on stage in order to find strategies for escalation and de-escalation as well as physical and behavioral vocabularies associated with them. Those vocabularies constitute a new kind of language, which can serve as metaphors beyond their immediate applications: from social realm and intersubjective relations to politics.

Warfare as practice of non-destruction.
Warfare as study of natural dynamics.
Warfare as dance.

„Now war is based on deception. Move when it is advantageous and create changes in the situation by dispersal and concentration of forces.“ – Sun Tzu
A live performance is to be premiered at Uferstudios Berlin on the 29/10 to 1/11/2016