After the Fall

By Dan xie

At Toihaus Theater in Salzburg, choreographer Rosana Ribeiro and dancer Jin Lee rehearse and perform “Echoes of Resistance” as part of Choreographic Platform Austria. Together with dramaturgy Verena Pucher, they explore the forces and experiences that bring a woman to this present moment, shaping movement and gesture with both precision and care. Through the sensoriality, resilience, and falling of the female body, the dance piece tells a story of being still standing.

Jin rises from a crouched position, slowly lifting her arms. The texture of the movement evokes a plant pushing through muddy ground, reflecting the work’s theme of fragility giving way to flexibility. As her head emerges through the muscular seam of her arms, a slow yet pressurized transition unfolds, suggesting that even in precarious circumstances, persistent searching allows an inner resilience to safeguard the individual – letting her breathe anew. 

The performance unfolds in two parts that echo each other, hinting at the cyclical paths life takes. Learning from what came before allows one to refuse certain forces with clarity, while still holding on to small threads of hope to navigate whatever shakes the ground beneath. Within this framework, Rosana shapes the figure of a woman who insists, claims power, and speaks loudly. Through bodily gestures, she creates what she names a sequence of “resilience speaking”: a reach toward women stumbling in corners across the world, the dance lifting itself as a call for them, a pulse that helps them cry out.

Engage with vulnaribility

What does it mean to truly fall? Here, falling becomes a condition of life, a context shaped by choice. Fall takes many forms; it slips toward both light and darkness, and its meaning depends on the decision made in that instant. The work frames these moments through a series of larger and smaller bodily falls that invite reflection, giving the audience a space to engage with the vulnerabilities, resilience, and power embedded in each descent.

“Echoes of Resistance” prompts reflection on what comes after falling. One observes the body’s responses – the heartbeat, the subtle shifts of gravity, the choices that emerge from movement itself. In this space, resilience and agency take shape, demonstrating how strength can be recovered and maintained. The performance culminates in a sense of continuation and endurance.

At the end, as the music rises – “I’m still standing ...” – the gesture of Jin, a slight curve of her lips before she turns away, underscores the work’s central message: despite vulnerability and descent, resilience persists, and the body continues to stand.

Dieser Text entstand im Rahmen einer Kooperation von tanznetz mit Studierenden der Paris Lodron Universität in Salzburg unter der Leitung von Dr. Miriam Althammer und der Choreographic Platform Austria.