Slow Walk

How are you? Do you also feel like you are being rushed through everyday life at an ever-increasing pace? If yes, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker fully understands how you feel. And she is coming to your aid. Deliberately slow, to decelerate the hustle and bustle and to undermine old habits. It's all about walking. A slow walk, not breathtaking, but promoting breathing. And that's by slowing down to five meters per minute or three hundred meters per hour. It's an ambitious goal, but anyone can join in. Because this isn't a dance piece getting performed on stage, but a new, radical experience being conquered, and that with your own body. ‘Walking is also dancing,’ says the world-famous choreographer from Brussels. And walking can be even more than that: It can be meditation. The founder of the Rosas company points out that slow walking has been perfected as a meditation technique in certain branches of Buddhism. Understood in this way, SLOW WALK promotes the coordination of steps and breathing for everyone, which in turn expands awareness of space. The result is the opposite of a mental journey into one's own inner self. Our heightened senses allow us to experience our surroundings in a new way. The same applies to our own bodies. But nobody needs to prove their skills in SLOW WALK. Just simply open your eyes and see your everyday life from a different perspective. Whether you are a dancer or not, we are all equal when it comes to slowing down. Whether tall or short, slim or curvy.

Here you can find the interactive map for SLOW WALK.

FAQ SLOW WALK

How slow is a slow walk? Very slow! Approximately 5 meters per minute, hence 300 meters per hour. Each group will follow a leader who will set the pace for the walk.

How long is each route? Each route is approximately 1.2 km long.

How long will it take to walk from beginning to end? Each group will take four hours to walk the 1.2 km. We walk from 11pm to 3pm

Where can I join? You can join any group at any point along any trajectory. The trajectories are described below.

When does it start? Each group will depart simultaneously at 12pm from the following points:
1. Leipziger Volkzeitung / Petersteinweg 19
2. Lutherkirche / Ferdinand-Lassalle-Straße 25
3. Vorderer Rosentalteich
4. Leipzig Hauptbahnhof/Mobilitätszentrum der LVB/Willy-Brand-Platz 10

Can I join once the group has started? Yes, certainly! Via the interactive map, you can follow during the Slow Walk where the groups are situated.

Do I have to walk the whole trajectory from beginning to end? No, you are invited to join for as long or as short as you wish. You may take breaks at any point and re-join when you are ready.

Who can participate? The Slow Walk is open to everyone who wants to join, regardless of age or abilities. Children under the age of 12 should be accompanied by an adult. Participants in wheelchairs or with limited mobility are advised to choose the routes starting from Peterssteinweg 19 / in front of Leipziger Volkszeitung

What do I wear? We advise weather appropriate clothing and comfortable footwear. Note that walking very slowly will keep you less warm than your usual walking pace.  We will be proceeding rain or shine, so dress accordingly. We also advise you to bring water and a snack if you plan to participate for a longer period.

What is happening once we get to the Marketplace? Once we arrive at Marktplatz around 3 pm, everyone will be invited to participate in a 30-minute workshop led by Sandy Williams (ROSAS). The workshop will conclude with a short and powerful dance party. All ages and abilities are welcome, no previous dance experience is necessary.

Do I have to sign up? No, just show up at 11:00 or join us at any point along our journey.

Route 1

11:00 h Peterssteinweg 19 / Mitte des Vorplatzes vor dem LVZ-Gebäude
11:30 h Peterssteinweg 15 / gegenüber des Straßenabzweigs der „Straße des 17. Juni“
12:00 h Peterssteinweg 1 / Asia Imbiss Thang Long
12:30 h Mitte Wilhelm-Leuschner-Platz (Fußweg an der Straße entlang)
13:00 h Ampelüberquerung Wilhelm-Leuschner-Platz/Roßplatz (Richtung Innenstadt)
13:30 h Peterstraße 43 / Arko Confiserie
14:00 h Peterstraße 17-23 / Peek&Cloppenburg
14:30 h Mädler-Passage / Shop Only
15:00 h Grimmaische Straße/Ecke Marktplatz (Ecke Südost)

Route 2

11:00 h Lutherkirche / linke Seite vom Haupteingang, Ferdinand-Lassalle-Straße 25
11:30 h Gelbe Rosskastanie auf der linken Seite des Weges / durch goldenes Schild gekennzeichnet
12:00 h Parkausgang Johannapark / Ampelüberquerung Friedrich-Ebert-Straße
12:30 h Mitte Grünfläche / Fußgänger-Fahrradweg
13:00 h Lotterstraße 1 / Tiefgarageneingang
13:30 h Burgstraße 27 / Juristenfakultät der Universität Leipzig
14:00 h Burgstraße 1-5 / Café Bigoti
14:30 h Peterstraße 12 / Hugendubel, Ecke Kirchenwiese
15:00 h Marktplatz / Ecke Südost

Route 3

11:00 h Vorderer Rosentalteich (westliche Seite)
11:30 h Verkehrsinsel Emil-Fuchs-Straße / am Eingang zum Rosental / Straße überqueren
12:00 h Ampelüberquerung Ecke Pfaffendorfer Straße/Emil-Fuchs-Straße
12:30 h Pfaffendorfer Straße 10 / Café Yellowbrasil
13:00 h Tröndlinring 9 / Villersbrunnen
13:30 h Richard-Wagner-Platz / Brunnen Pusteblume
14:00 h Hainstraße/Ecke Brühl
14:30 h Hainstraße 14 / Kretschmanns Hof
15:00 h Marktplatz / Ecke Nordwest

Route 4

11:00 h Hauptbahnhofsvorplatz Seite Innenstadt / Willy-Brandt-Platz 10 / am LVBMobilitätszentrum
11:30 h Brühl 52 / Löwen Apotheke
12:00 h Nikolaikirchhof / Ecke Alte Nikolaischule/Nikolaistraße
12:30 h Ritterstraße 8-10 / Geschwister-Scholl-Haus
13:00 h Ausgang Innenhof des Hauptcampus der Universität Leipzig / Treppen Richtung Grimmaische Straße
13:30 h Innenhof Hauptcampus/ Ecke Mensa / Treppen Richtung Universitätsstraße
14:00 h Durchgang durch Hof Städtisches Kaufhaus bis Neumarkt 9 / Ausgang Städtisches Kaufhaus
14:30 h Reichsstraße 4 / Ecke Specks Hof
15:00 h Marktplatz / Ecke Nordost

Credits

Artistic Direction Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker (Rosas) Rehearsals in Leipzig Sandy Williams (Rosas)

Production euro-scene Leipzig Funding Rosas is funded by Flemish Community and Flemish Community Commission (VGC)

Guest Performance Support Flanders State of the Art

Creation Dag van de Dans, Brussels, 23 April 2016