Diana Thielen

I am fascinated by the human body in all its expressions: how we move, how we present ourselves, how we position ourselves socially, how we change and adapt over our lifetimes in response to various challenges.

As a teacher, I see my strength in my genuine wish to support each individual’s journey. Their experiences, as well as, their curiosities, doubts, vulnerabilities and lust to move and study are invited, to create a safe learning atmosphere. Sharing the time and space, rolling, crawling, turning, running and jumping, sweating together is one of my biggest passions, especially when it includes reflection upon social norms and embodied societal behaviours.

With my studies as the intellectual framework, as well as from own experiences as a queer-person, I’d like to emphasize that the reality of our bodies cannot be encompassed by biology and physics alone.

In my pedagogy I therefore frequently employ tools from critical social theory to question norms and embodied, performative forms of expression.

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I am involved in various networks, collaborative groups and collectives. As a member of Altes Finanzamt, a collective of artists, creators and performers based in Berlin-Neukölln, we aim to create a space defined by solidarity and caring for each other.

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I graduated at the SEAD / Salzburg (2004-2008). I am currently studying Gender Studies / Educational Studies in Berlin and have a lectureship at the HZT University of Arts in Berlin. My work includes interdisciplinary perspectives that relate to my interest in queer theory, intersectional feminism, and postcolonial studies, as well as pondering and exploring private realities as a queer woman.

Picture: Sarah Berger

Find a portfolio of my performance works here: www.dianathielen.com  and a short VITA here

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writings:

• 2019 "Me, my body and..."

• 2018 "How to tell our own stories-or-how to dance with a whale" | „Wenn ich nicht tanzen kann…“ Essay in 3 parts

• 2017 “Decolonizing Performance” | “Choufthouhonna-Feminist Art Festival Tunis” | “Thoughts about Work” |

• 2016 „The practice of inquiry“ | “Yoga, a perspective”| “Körperimage im Yoga” | ”Contemplating Yoga Asana Vocabulary using the Axis Syllabus Lexicon “ | ”Reflect your practice “ | ”activism, dance and yoga”|

• 2015 “time is a monster” | “How can we create spaces where everyone’s needs matter?”

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past and current teachings, lectures and readings (among others):

• Springschool arts education- Institut für Kunst & Kunsttheorie, Universität zu Köln

• Kelim Center for Choreography, Bat Yam, Israel

• Ponderosa, Stolzenhagen, Germany

• UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles, USA

• Pieter Performance Space, Los Angeles, USA

• HZT, Inter-University Centre for Dance, Berlin, Germany

• Shake it, Fach-und Aktionstag zu Tanz, Körperpolitik und Empowerment, NRW Tanzbüro Köln, Germany

• ROAR-Radical Journeys in Body, Dance and Performance, Berlin, Germany

• Tanztreffen der Jugend, Berliner Festspiele, Berlin, Germany

• Kunstuniversität Graz, Institut für Genderforschung, Graz, Austria

• Internationale Bühnenwerkstatt, Graz, Austria

• Queere Ringvorlesung, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Germany

• Theatertreffen der Jugend, Berliner Festspiele, Berlin, Germany

• Fresh Festival, San Francisco, USA

• Smash- intensive training in experimental physical performance, Berlin, Germany