Ben Rentz

In the artist's words:

Ben Rentz was born in Karlsruhe in 2001 and works as a choreographer and director.

He studied "Scenic Arts" at the University of Hildesheim and took part in dance and choreography courses in Amsterdam, Berlin and Brussels.

Together with dramaturge Yoreme Waltz, he founded the company "ensemble ben rentz" in 2022. His site-specific works are characterized by psychological questions and interweave the interfaces between visual art and performance. In 4 years, he has developed a significant way of working with his ensemble through intensive improvisation cycles and has already received several awards for his pieces.

Productions include: 2020 "swallow it" Hofgut Scheibenhardt // 2021 "Gute Besserung" Tollhaus Karlsruhe // 2022 "ruminate" Tollhaus Karlsruhe // 2023 "transitions - circuit 1" Fleischmarkthalle Karlsruhe // 2024 "braeburn Act I & II" Pavillon am ZKM // 2024 "figuration" Franz Bernhard Haus Karlsruhe.

Rentz was part of the "Masterclass at the ZKM" in 2020/21 and dedicated himself to the topic "the dancing body as a lived place of possibilities" in a research grant from the Fonds Darstellende Künste in 2022. In 2023, he was part of the "Academy for Performing Arts Producer" as part of the alliance of international production houses and subsequently developed the artist lab "Producing Future Audiences" funded by the Fonds Darstellende Künste, followed by the impulse funding of the National Performance Network "Producing Our Future".

Rentz is a founding board member of "Perform! Verein zur Förderung der Freien Darstellenden Künste e.V.", which was founded to support the future "Haus der Produktionen" in Karlsruhe. He gives performance workshops at the Center for Art and Media | ZKM Karlsruhe and directed the renowned young talent festival "Schredder" at Theaterhaus Hildesheim in 2023/24.

His new choreographic work "wunden" will be presented at the Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe in October 2025.