SEXES | Choreography Lillian Stillwell | © Jubal Battisti
Le Sacre du printemps | Choreography Edward Clug | © Jubal Battisti
SEXES | Choreography Lillian Stillwell | © Jubal Battisti
Le Sacre du printemps | Choreography Edward Clug | © Jubal Battisti
Under the direction of Dance Director and Chief Choreographer Lillian Stillwell, Tanz Münster has established itself as a place for innovation and sustainability in dance in the tradition of Münster's rich dance heritage. The twelve-member ensemble can be seen in over 50 performances per season in virtuosic, sensual dance evenings and interdisciplinary productions. The ensemble is also involved in the TanzNAH education format, creates its own dance evening and is actively involved in shaping the company's everyday dance life. The dance ensemble is complemented by members of the young talent program Tanz Münster Studio.
As Chief Choreographer, Lillian Stillwell's choreographic language and rehearsal approach shape the dance ensemble. Her style combines physical and emotional virtuosity with precise musicality. She works closely with the musical score and both the individual and collective potential of the dancers to tell stories in which we recognize ourselves.
The selection of choreographers ranges from up-and-coming talents to established, internationally sought-after choreographers. The repertoire for the 2023/2024 season consists of choreography by Anouk van Dijk, Edward Clug, Marguerite Donlon, Dustin Klein, Sandrine Lescourant, Giuseppe Spota, Lillian Stillwell and Roland Geszcy, winner of the Theater Münster Prize for Choreography at the Tanzplatform Bern 2022.
The topic of sustainability plays a major role at Tanz Münster, both in daily dance practice and within the production processes. Initiatives include: the Sustainable Dance Stage Competition launched in 2021, Louise Flanagan´s Costume Collection from Season 2022_23, an inter-institutional partnership with a local rehabilitation center to support dancers` health, participative dialogues and feedback sessions with the ensemble, and the production NACHBARSCHAFT. Sustainable principles including programming regional artists, knowledge exchange between dance companies, restaging of existing works, and digital documentation to extend the life-cycle of the production were used to shape the process and performances.
History of the ensemble
The Theater Münster looks back on a long line of renowned ballet directors. In recent decades, the dance division has been shaped by artistic directors such as Brigitta Trommler (1998 - 1996), Daniel Goldin (1996 - 2012) and Hans Henning Paar (2012 - 2022).
Since the season 2022/23 Lillian Stillwell is director and chief choreographer at Theater Münster.
Lillian Stillwell works internationally as a freelance choreographer and is Dance Director and Chief Choreographer at Theater Münster in Germany. Her signature choreographic language unites physical and emotional virtuosity with precise musicality to tell stories in which we recognize ourselves.
Lillian Stillwell’s movement language combines physical and emotional virtuosity with precise musicality. She works closely with the musical score and both the individual and collective potential of the dancers to tell stories in which we recognize ourselves. Recurring themes in her work are coincidence and fate, interdependency and loss, power, sexuality and transformation.
Productions from the 2023/2024 season
PREMIERS
MASS
A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers by Leonard Bernstein
Premiere 26.08.2023
Musical direction: Thorsten Schmid-Kapfenburg
Director: Tom Ryser
Choreography: Lillian Stillwell
Stage & costume: Stefan Rieckhoff
Costumes (dance): Louise Flanagan
Choir rehearsal: Anton Tremmel
Rehearsal Boys Choir: Rita Stork-Herbst, Margarete Sandhäger, Jörg von Wensierski
Choreographic assistance and rehearsals: Eléonore Turri
Dramaturgy: Ana Edroso Stroebe
Production management: Demi Wals
Opera choir of the Theater Münster
Extra choir of the Theater Münster
Münster Symphony Orchestra
Pupils of the Gymnasium Paulinum
Dance/Holy Spirit: Amanda Cruz Portuondo, Yoh Ebihara, Hana Kato, Bartlomiej Kowalczyk, Hera Norin, Enrique Sáez Martínez
Venue: Großes Haus
Stage dimensions: 12m x 12m
Duration: approx. 2 hours
NACHBARSCHAFT
Dance evening from Amsterdam, Gelsenkirchen, Osnabrück and Münster by Anouk van Dijk, Giuseppe Spota, Marguerite Donlon and Lillian Stillwell
Premiere: October 20, 2023
Artistic direction: Lillian Stillwell
Choreographic assistance: Katelyn Skelley
Lighting design: Jan Hördemann
Dramaturgy: Tom Ryser
Documentary film: Bowie Verschuuren
OSLO (UA)
Choreography: Lillian Stillwell
Costumes: Louise Flanagan
GENTLE IS THE POWER
Choreography and costumes: Anouk van Dijk
BLANK 2.0
Choreography and costumes: Giuseppe Spota
Costumes: Monika Frenz
Choreographic assistance and rehearsal: Tenald Zace
RUFF CELTS
Choreography and costumes: Marguerite Donlon
Choreographic assistance and rehearsals: Camilla Matteucci, Bojan Micev
Dance: Amanda Cruz Portuondo, Yoh Ebihara, Hana Kato, Bartlomiej Kowalczyk, Juan Fernando Morales Londoňo, Hera Norin, Enrique Sáez Martínez, Aline Serrano, Nadja Simchen, Jack Widdowson
Venue: Kleines Haus
Stage dimensions: 165 square meters
Duration: approx. 90 min
EROICA/SACRE
Dance evening with orchestra by Edward Clug and Lillian Stillwell
Premiere: February 24, 2024
Artistic direction: Lillian Stillwell
Musical direction: Henning Ehlert
Choreographic assistance and rehearsal management: Sascha Pieper, Katelyn Skelley
Dramaturgy: GE Patterson
SEXES
Choreography: Lillian Stillwell
Stage design: Stella Sattler & Jonathan Brüggmann
Costumes: Louise Flanagan
Lighting design: Jan Hördemann
Dramaturgy: GE Patterson
Le Sacre du printemps
Choreography: Edward Clug
Choreographic rehearsal: Gaj Zamvc
Stage design: Marko Japelj
Costumes: Leo Kulas
Lighting design: Tomaz Premzl
Dance: Lukas Bisculm, Amanda Cruz Portuondo, Yoh Ebihara, Hana Kato, Bartlomiej Kowalczyk, Juan Fernando Morales Londoňo, Mirjam Motzke, Hera Norin, Enrique Sáez Martínez, Aline Serrano, Nadja Simchen, Jack Widdowson and Tanz Münster Studio: Chun-Wei Peng, Silja Egelund Ellebye
Münster Symphony Orchestra
Venue: Großes Haus
Stage dimensions: 12 x 12m
Duration: approx. 2 hours
REAL VICTORY
Between hip-hop and ballet: dance evening in two parts with an intermezzo
Premiere: April 26, 2024
Artistic direction: Lillian Stillwell
Choreography: Dustin Klein, Sandrine Lescourant, Roland Géczy
Choreographic assistance and rehearsal management: Katelyn Skelley
Costumes: Louise Flanagan
Dance: Lukas Bisculm, Amanda Cruz Portuondo, Yoh Ebihara, Hana Kato, Bartlomiej Kowalczyk, Juan Fernando Morales Londoňo, Mirjam Motzke, Hera Norin, Enrique Sáez Martínez, Aline Serrano, Nadja Simchen, Jack Widdowson and Tanz Münster Studio: Chun-Wei Peng, Silja Egelund Ellebye
Venue: Kleines Haus
Stage dimensions: approx. 165 square meters
Duration: approx. 2 hours
PATCHWORK FAMILY #2
Premiere: N.N.
Concept, choreography, dance and set: Tanz-Ensemble Theater Münster
Venue: Begegnungszentrum Meerwiese, Münster
Stage dimensions: approx. 8m x 8m
Duration: approx. 60 min
Productions from the 2022/2023 season
FURIEN
Dance piece by Lillian Stillwell
Premiere: 17.09.2022
Choreography: Lillian Stillwell
Stage: Stella Sattler & Jonathan Brügmann
Costumes: Louise Flanagan
Sound design: Randomhype
Dance: Amanda Cruz Portuondo, Yoh Ebihara, Hana Kato, Bartlomiej Kowalczyk, Juan Fernando Morales Londoňo, Hera Norin, Enrique Sáez Martínez, Giorgia Scisciola, Aline Serrano, Nadja Simchen, Jack Widdowson and Tanz Münster Studio: Lukas Bisculm, Maren Sauer
Venue: Small house
stage dimensions: approx. 150 square meters, arena seating
Duration: 60 min
SILBERLICHT
Dance piece with baroque music for the very youngest by Angela Merl and Lillian Stillwell*
Premiere: 29.10.2022
Choreography: Lillian Stillwell
Set design: Mayke Hegger
Musical arrangement: Johannes Pramsohler
Music: Corelli, Scarlatti, Gesdualdo
Musicians of the Münster Symphony Orchestra
Dance: Lukas Bisculm, Maren Sauer
Venue: ballet hall
Stage dimensions: 11m x 11m
Duration: 30 min
*World premiere Philharmonie Luxembourg (2019)
DIE VIER JAHRESZEITEN
Dance evening by Paloma Muňoz and Lillian Stillwell with a prologue by James Vu Anh Pham
Premiere: 11.03.2023
Choreography: Paloma Muňoz, James Vu Anh Pham, Lillian Stillwell
Stage: Stella Sattler & Jonathan Brügmann
Costumes: Louise Flanagan
Music: John Cage, Kaija Saariaho, Antonio Vivaldi
Musical direction: Thorsten Schmid-KapfenburgMusicians of the Münster Symphony Orchestra
Dance: Amanda Cruz Portuondo, Yoh Ebihara, Hana Kato, Bartlomiej Kowalczyk, Juan Fernando Morales Londoňo, Hera Norin, Enrique Sáez Martínez, Giorgia Scisciola, Aline Serrano, Nadja Simchen, Keelan Whitmore, Jack Widdowson and Tanz Münster Studio: Lukas Bisculm, Maren Sauer
Venue: Großes Haus
Stage dimensions: 12m x 12m
Duration: approx. 100 min incl. one intermission
AFTERLIFE
Immersive dance evening with live DJs by Lillian Stillwell and Tom Ryser
Premiere: 02.06.2023
Artistic direction: Lillian Stillwell, Tom Ryser
Concept and choreography: Lillian Stilwell
Music: DJ duo Schwifi (Sophia Schwager and Ada Fischer)
Costumes: Ada Fischer in collaboration with Chemiserie Plus
Dance: Aline Serrano, Yoh Ebihara
in collaboration with the independent dance scene Münster
Venue: Café Colibri, Münster City Library
Stage dimensions: 11m x 11m
Duration: 60 min
PATCHWORK FAMILY
Dance experience at the LWL Museum of Art and Culture
Premiere: 27.05.2023
Concept, choreography, dance and set: Tanz-Ensemble Theater Münster
Venue: Auditorium in the LWL Museum of Art and Culture
Stage dimensions: approx. 10m x 6m
Duration: approx. 60 min
UND WENN ICH VON DER ZEIT SPRECHE…
Interdisciplinary world premiere by Thomas Köck with drama, dance and music theater Münster
Director: Mareike Mikat
Choreography: Judith Sanchez Ruiz
Music: Enik
Musical direction: Boris Cepeda
Stage & costume: Thea Hoffmann-Axthelm
Chorus rehearsal: Anton Tremmel
Dramaturgy: Katharina Kost-Tolmein and Remsi Al Khalisi
Artistic collaboration dance: Lillian Stillwell
Singing: Maria Christina Tsiakourma
Acting: Ilja Harjes, Rose Lohmann, Nadine Quittner, Pascal Riedel, Christian Bo Salle, Ansgar Sauren
Dance: Amanda Cruz Portuondo, Yoh Ebihara, Hana Kato, Bartlomiej Kowalczyk, Juan Fernando Morales Londoňo, Hera Norin, Enrique Sáez Martínez, Aline Serrano, Nadja Simchen, Jack Widdowson and Tanz Münster Studio: Lukas Bisculm
Venue: Großes Haus
Stage dimensions: 12m x 12m
Duration: approx. 90 min
MADRIGALE VON KRIEG UND LIEBE
Interdisciplinary music theatre evening with music by Claudio Monteverdi
Premiere: 22.04.2023
Director: Tom Ryser
Choreography: Annie Hanauer
Musical direction: Clemens Flick
Stage & costume design: Stefan Rieckhoff
Chorus rehearsal: Anton Tremmel
Dramaturgy: Ana Edroso Stroebe
Opera Chorus Theatre Münster
Münster Symphony Orchestra
Dance: Amanda Cruz Portuondo, Juan Fernando Morales Londoňo, Hera Norin, Enrique Sáez Martínez, Giorgia Scisciola, Aline Serrano, Nadja Simchen, Jack Widdowson and Tanz Münster Studio: Maren Sauer
Venue: Großes Haus
Stage dimensions: 12m x 12m
Duration: approx. 2 hours
Productions from the 2021/2022 season
PASSION
First performance 25.2.2022
Dance evening by Hans Henning Paar
Music by Johann Sebastian Bach / St. John Passion BWV 245
14 dancers / 6 vocal soloists / opera choir & Münster Symphony Orchestra
Duration: 2 hours
VERWANDLUNG/FREMDKÖRPER
First performance 25.5.2022
Dance evening by Maura Morales
Music by Michio Woirgardt
11 dancers
Duration: 65 minutes
Productions from the 2020/2021 season
DIS-TANZ
World premiere 12 September 2020
Dance evening by Hans Henning Paar
Music by J. S. Bach, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Nils Frahm, Scanner a.o.
11 dancers
Duration: 70 minutes
DER TURM
World premiere 4 June 2021
Dance evening by Hans Henning Paar
Music by Philip Glass
12 dancers
Duration: 80 minutes
Produktions from the 2019/2020 season
MEDEA (2019)
Choreography: Thomas Noone
Composition: Jim Pinchen
11 dancers
Duration: 65 min
DER HIMMLISCHE SPIEGEL (2020)
Choreography: Hans Henning Paar
Composition: Pierre Oser
13 dancers
Duration: 80 min
DER KLEINE PRINZ (2020)
Choreography: Hans Henning Paar
Music: Erik Satie
13 dancers
Duration: 70 min
Produktions from the 2018/2019 season
UNKNOWN TERRITORIES (2018)
Choreography: Hans Henning Paar, Michael Letmathe, (in cooperation with LWL- Museum für Kunst und Kultur)
Composition: Fabian Kuss
10 dancers, 2 actors
Duration: 80 min
EINE WINTERREISE (2019)
Choreography: Hans Henning Paar
Music: Hans Zender – a composed interpretation of Schubert´s WINTERREISE
14 dancers, 1 singer
Duration: 120 min
NICE TO MEET YOU? (2019)
Choreography: Tiago Manquinho,
Music: Ben Frost, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Karoliina Kantelinen, Kimmo Pohjonen a.o.
12 dancers
Duration: 70 min
Produktions from the 2017/2018 season
BACH, IMMORTALIS (2017)
Choreography: Hans Henning Paar
Music: J. S. Bach, Thorsten Schmid-Kapfenburg
12 dancers, 1 singer
Duration: 90 min
TRUE ROMANCE (2018)
Choreography: Hans Henning Paar & Daniel Soulié
Music: F. Chopin, Patti Smith, Tiny fingers, Moderat, Alva Noto a.o.
11 dancers
Duration: 80 min
HOLD ON (2018)
Choreography: James Wilton
Music: Amarok u.a.
10 dancers
Duration: 75 min
Productions of the 2016/2017 season
DANCE LAB. (2017)
Choreography: Members of the TanzTheaterMünster
12 dancers, approx. 70 min
CIRC...US (2017)
Choreography: Hans Henning Paar
Music: Fanfare Ciocårlia, Nils Frahm, Amon Tobin, Jun Miyake a.o.
12 dancers
Duration: 75 minutes
RECORTES (2017)
Choreography: Gustavo Ramírez Sansano
Music: J. S. Bach, Elvis Presley, Johnny Mathis a.o.
11 dancers
Duration: 70 minutes
ROMEO UND JULIA (2016)
Choreography: Hans Henning Paar, Music: Sergei Prokofiev
16 dancers (including 4 guests), Sinfonieorchester Münster, 130 min (incl. intermission)
Productions of the 2015/2016 season
GEFANGEN (2015)
Choreography: Hans Henning Paar, Music: Mauricio Kagel, Erik Satie, Franck Angelis a.o.
13 dancers, 80 min
HOMO SACER / SACRE (2016)
Choreography: Hans Henning Paar, Music: Einojuhani Rautavaara, Lepo Sumera, Igor Stravinsky
13 dancers, Münster Symphony Orchestra, 100 min
IF I WAS REAL (2016)
Choreography: Toula Limnaios, Music: Ralf R. Ollertz
12 dancers, 60 min
Productions of the 2014/2015 season
In eremo (2015)
Choreography: Hans Henning Paar, Music: Jonas Nondorf
12 dancers, 2 musicians, estimated 75 min
Descent (2014)
Choreography: Thomas Noone, Music: Jim Pinchen
12 dancers, 65 min
Lulu - eine Monstertragödie (2014)
Choreography: Hans Henning Paar, Music: Kurt Weill, Viktor Ullmann, Paul Dessau, Pierre Oser, Friedrich Cerha
14 dancers, Sinfonieorchester Münster, 105 min
Alles Tanz! (2014)
Choreography: Hans Henning Paar & Ensemble
12 dancers, 60 min
Productions of the 2013/2014 season
Der Concierge (2014)
Choreography: Felix Landerer
10 dancers, 65 min
Das Schloss (2014)
Choreography: Hans Henning Paar, Music: Dmitri Shostakovich, Henryk Gorecki, Alfred Schnittke, Krzyztof Penderecki
14 dancers, Münster Symphony Orchestra, 85 min
Der schwarze Garten (2013)
Choreography: Hans Henning Paar, Music: Luboš Fišer and Sergej Rachmaninow
NACHBARSCHAFT
FURIEN
DIE VIER JAHRESZEITEN
Theater Münster
Neubrückenstraße 63
48143 Münster
Lillian Stillwell, Tanzdirektorin und Chefchoreografin
0251 – 5909 183
stillwell@stadt-muenster.de
@tanzmuenster
Christian Maier, Company Manager
0251 – 5909 193
maierc@stadt-muenster.de
Katelyn Skelley, Probenleitung und Ballettmeisterin
Probenleitung@stadt-muenster.de
@tanzmuenster
Melanie Lopez Lopez, Koordinatorin für Tanzvermittlung
lopez@stadt-muenster.de
@tanzmuenster
Audition Inquiries:
tanz@stadt-muenster.de
