Gauthier Dance, das von Theaterhaus Stuttgart etablierte feste Tanzensemble, ist eine junge, dynamische Company aus sechs individuellen, vielseitigen Tänzern und Tänzerinnenunter der Leitung des Choreographen, Tänzers und Musikers, Eric Gauthier. Ganz dem zeitgenössischen Tanz verpflichtet, präsentiert die Truppe Werke von Gauthier sowie von renommierten zeitgenössischen Choreographen darunter Mauro Bigonzetti, Itzik Galili, Paul Lightfoot/Sol Léon, Hans van Manen und Charles Moulton. Gauthiers Choreographien zeichnen sich durch originelle Ideen und einnehmenden Humor aus. Das erklärte Ziel von Theaterhaus Stuttgart und Eric Gauthier ist es, ein neues Publikum für den zeitgenössischen Tanz zu gewinnen und jungen Menschen diese Tanzsparte auf verständliche Weise zu präsentieren sowie Tanzliebhaber für das Gauthier Dance Repertoire zu begeistern. Die erste Premiere von Gauthier Dance, SIX PACK, fand im Januar 2008 im Theaterhaus Stuttgart statt; ausverkaufte und bejubelte Vorstellungen sowie exzellente Kritiken gaben den erfolgreichen Startschuss für die vom Theaterhaus Stuttgart gegründete Truppe.
Neben Vorstellungen im Theaterhaus Stuttgart realisiert Gauthier Dance auch ein umfangreiches sozio-kulturelles Programm unter dem Namen Gauthier Dance Mobil.
Seit Januar 2008 ist das Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg, Partner des Theaterhaus Stuttgart, Koproduzent aller Gauthier Dance Produktionen bis 2009. Mehrmals im Jahr gastiert Gauthier Dance in Luxembourg mit Vorstellungen im Grand Théâtre und mobilen Vorstellungen in diversen Einrichtungen in Luxembourg.
Gauthier Dance is a young, dynamic company of six highly individual, versatile dancers, directed by the dancer, choreographer and musician Eric Gauthier. As the Resident Dance Company of the Theaterhaus Stuttgart, Gauthier Dance presents contemporary dance by Gauthier and internationally acclaimed choreographers such as Mauro Bigonzetti, Itzik Galili, Paul Lightfoot/Sol Léon, Hans van Manen and Charles Moulton.
Gauthier, a former soloist with the Stuttgart Ballet, is known for his highly original, humorous choreographies. One of Mr. Gauthier’s primary goals as a director and choreographer, is to present and create content-oriented dance, which has a meaning recognizable even to audiences not familiar with dance. He pursues his goal of making contemporary dance accessible and attractive to a new as well as younger audience with works such as Eclipse, a one-act piece about an encounter between two species on a faraway planet inspired by Kung-Fu films and Sci-Fi comics, and Air Guitar, a witty and inventive hommage to an instrument primarily associated with rock and pop music.
In addition to performances in the Theaterhaus, Gauthier Dance undertakes an extensive Educational and Community Outreach program, the first of its kind in Germany: Gauthier Dance Mobile. With a specially tailored repertory of works which can be presented in small performing spaces with limited technical equipment, Gauthier Dance Mobile brings contemporary dance to children and teens in community centers as well as to a segment of our society which would otherwise have no opportunity to enjoy this art form: senior citizens and people with dementia living in retirement homes, people with physical or mental disabilities or people in rehabilitation centers. Germany is undergoing a massive demographic change and in response to this, and to a childhood spent as the son of one of Canada’s foremost researchers on Alzheimer’s, Mr. Gauthier conceived Gauthier Dance Mobile. With these performances, the company literally mobilises the dance, takes it out of the theater and brings it into new spaces and to new or disadvantaged audiences. For this project, Mr. Gauthier received substantial start-up funding from the City of Stuttgart and from Star Care e.V. Stuttgart.
The Theaterhaus Stuttgart, which opened its doors in 1985, is a unique cultural center in the city of Stuttgart, which presents theater, music, dance, cabaret, comedy, literature, political discussions and more on a total of four stages. The Theaterhaus has a long tradition of producing and presenting Tanztheater; most well known are the collaborations between Marcia Haydée and Ismail Ivo. The Theaterhaus has also traditionally been and continues to be, a venue for the free-lance dance scene in Stuttgart. Gauthier Dance is the first resident contemporary dance company in Stuttgart.
