Performance-Experiment "Heiterkeit"

OnSeptember 4, 2026, the Upsala Circus will present the world premiere of“Heiterkeit”: a new street circus performance as part of theBauhaus festival “Salto | Takt | Form”in Dessau. On September 5,two additional 40-minute performances will take place outdoors at night on the grounds of the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation—with free admission.

One hundred years ago, the artists of the Bauhaus sought new forms of art and communal living. They challenged the status quo and, through their festivals, created spaces for shared experiences. Today, in yet another time of uncertainty, the question arises:What helps us stay connected when the familiar suddenly begins to falter?

Contemporary circus meets object theater, dance, and movement. Water, light, unusual stage constructions, and experimental music become part of the performance.

The title “Heiterkeit” draws on the history of the Bauhaus festivals and signifies more than just good cheer: it represents an attitude of remaining open even in difficult situations, carrying on, and not losing courage. The team drew inspiration for the title from the Georgian philosopher Merab Mamardashvili, who used it to describe a state one reaches when one understands the tragedy of life and yet carries on.

“Freedom never arises on its own, but rather between people,” says Larisa Afanaseva, artistic director of Upsala-Circus.

Since June, an international team of artists from Germany, France, and Israel has been working on “Heiterkeit.” You can follow the rehearsals and the development of the performance onInstagram.

Dates

• Fri, Sept. 4, 2026| 9:20 p.m.
• Sat, Sept. 5, 2026| 9:20 p.m. and 11:20 p.m.

Free admission.

Location

Bauhaus Dessau, Gropiusallee 38, 06846 Dessau-Roßlau. Outside the Bauhaus grounds, parking lot

About the Upsala Circus

The Upsala Circus (Upsala-Circus gGmbH) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to contemporary circus, based in Zeitz, Saxony-Anhalt. Founded in 2000 in St. Petersburg, it has been based in Zeitz since 2022. It operates at the intersection of circus arts, community building, and integration—working with children, youth, and people with migration backgrounds. Today, around 120 children and youth train there every day.