Atmoshphere of Decay

An ode to mother chaos in the time of the great collapse.

Edging between subtle dominance and naked vulnerability 3 performers shapeshift through a choreography of intimacy, transformation, and repulsion. Sophia Mage pulls from mythology surrounding the goddesses Innana and Ereshkigal who were present 4.000 years ago in ancient Sumer. Innana and Ereshkigal represent each the ‘lower’ and ‘upper’ realms of the universe; they may also be considered the conscious and subconscious. The work is a choreographic reflection on the destructive-transformative power these archetypes represent and the multitudes of contradicting attributes flourishing within a single being or entity.

Atmosphere of Decay is created by Sophia Mage in close collaboration with performers Brittanie Brown, Charlotte Peterson, Escarleth Romo Pozo, and electronic musician John T. Gast. Atmosphere of Decay ebbs and flows. It’s restless and grounded, it lusts for blood and desires intimacy, It’s healing and thieving, jealous and benevolent, it’s warmth in the abyss.

She swallows all of it, bones, fur, paws, tail, teeth…holds it within her fullness while she sleeps and dreams…

Premiere November 2023 Dansekapellet, Copenhagen

Concept and Choreography / Sophia Mage

Choreography and Performance / Brittanie Brown, Charlotte Petersen, Escarleth Romo Pozo

Music / John T. Gast

Light Design and Photography / Thomas Zamolo

Costumes / Mai Sakamoto

Dramaturgy / Quim Bigas

Artwork / Ville Vidoe

Production / Christina Cibrowski, Dansehallerne

Trailer and documentation / Alexis Rodriguez Cancio

Artistic consultants / Rachel Tess, Marie Kaae Schmidt

Voice coach / Mette Nadja Hansen

Nail artist / @silkedoesnails

Co-produced by / Dansehallerne, HAUT, MARC, Akademiet, Dansstationen

A special thanks to Sanna Blennow and Lara Ostan Vejrup

Supported by / Statens Kunstfond, Knud Højgaards Fond, William Demant Fond

Atmosphere of Decay premiered November 17th 2023 at Dansekapellet, Copenhagen.