Plan B

A project exploring possibilities and identities by Alessandra Corti

Plan B is a project about possibilities and identities. Together with dancer and choreographer Alessandra Corti, 60 people aged 15 and over set out in search of untold stories, paths not yet taken, and the many versions of ourselves. Having a Plan B might sound like a compromise – but what if that’s where the greatest potential lies? What if detours open up new spaces where we discover parts of ourselves that would otherwise remain hidden?

Through dance and biographical exploration, Plan B investigates what alternatives feel like – between reality and fiction, desire and experience. We ask: What possibilities lie in failure? Which inner voices want to be heard? Plan B is not a rescue plan, but an invitation to rethink, invent, and tell stories together.

The result is a performance – open, multi-layered, and deeply human. The large-scale participatory projects of the Hessische Staatsballett offer a unique kind of dance experience. Over several weeks of rehearsals, the participants work together with Corti and the dance education team to create a full-length piece that will celebrate its world premiere at the Kleines Haus in Darmstadt.

World premiere: April 25, 2026
Venue: Staatstheater Darmstadt, Kleines Haus

Duration: approx. 60 minutes, no intermission.

Dramaturgical text

In the Space Between Possibilities

by Lucas Herrmann

Plan B is an invitation to leave familiar paths behind and open oneself to the unpredictable. Choreographer Alessandra Corti turns her attention to the power of alternatives: to those moments when life takes an unexpected turn and new possibilities come into view. At its core lies the question of what happens when we are willing to let go of certainties in order to make room for different perspectives.

The starting point of this large-scale participatory project by the Hessisches Staatsballett is the personal experience of its participants. Thirty-four people from the Rhine-Main region came together in an intensive six-week rehearsal process to transform their thoughts, wishes, and fears into artistic expression through movement and language. Even beforehand, the participants engaged in writing about the idea of a “Plan B.” Personal stories, doubts, and hopes formed the basis for a shared artistic exploration.

Through improvisations, choreographic exercises, and automatic writing, individual forms of expression emerged and were gradually refined throughout the process. In this way, each participant brings a unique signature to the stage while also becoming the voice of their own self. Choreographed sequences and free expression intertwine, creating a space in which encounter and spontaneous reaction are equally possible.

The music specially composed for the piece by Anton Berman and Kostia Rapoport combines atmospheric soundscapes with the voices of the participants. The result is a multilayered composition in which movement, language, and sound are woven into a shared dramaturgy. The theme of “Plan B” appears here as an ongoing process of reorientation — something that continually re-emerges in the space between possibilities.

The stage design also reflects this idea. A large staircase shapes the bright setting and evokes a public place of encounter. Behind it, a projection screen opens views onto natural and urban spaces. Interior and exterior enter into dialogue, pointing to the many influences that shape our thinking and actions.

In this sense, Plan B presents itself as a collective search for traces — for alternatives, for change, and for the freedom to reinvent oneself again and again.

Credits

Choreography Alessandra Corti
Music Anton Berman, Kostia Rapoport
Set Design Andreas Etter, Alessandra Corti
Video Andreas Etter
Lighting Philipp Giltjes
Artistic Production Management / Costume Luca Wex
Rehearsal Direction / Assistant Ludmila Komkova
Dramaturgy Lucas Herrmann

With:
Alice Airich, Annette Axmann, Antje Baumann, Svitlana Becker, Phillip Berreth, Pauline Bierfreund, Karin Blachnik, Rom Miou Chatterjee, Elena Fattorelli, Daria Golbeck, Stefanie Grothues, Bernd Haberkern, Ines Haumann, Susan Heidenreich, Ulrich-Irato Hildmann, Aleksandra Hunger, Astrid Jochum, Emilija Kakarigji, Elisabeth Knoch, Brigtte Kubitza, Ramona Lena Nieveler, Frank Reedom, Stefanie Reinheimer, Laura Rößmann, Uschi Schell, Antonia Schetle, Alicia Schulmeyer, Emilie Schumacher, Astrid Sellhorn-Timm, Antje Stephan, Stilla Sternlewin, Yanna Vick, Uwe Zimmer, Uwe Zuber

Alessandra Corti

Alessandra Corti is an Italian choreographer, performer, and dance teacher based in Mainz.
She graduated in 2001 from the Civica Scuola di Teatro Paolo Grassi in Milan and, in the same year, moved to Germany, where she continues to live and work.

Over the past two decades, she has performed and choreographed at major state theaters including Bremer Theater, Oldenburgisches Staatstheater, and Staatstheater Mainz, collaborating with renowned choreographers such as Garry Stewart, Guy Weizmann & Roni Haver, Ina Christel Johannessen, Omar Rajeh, Ann Van den Broek, Koen Augustijnen & Rosalba Torres, Jo Strømgren, Alexandra Waierstall, Sharon Eyal, and Wen Hui.

Alongside her performing career, Alessandra has developed a distinctive choreographic voice. Her work explores storytelling at the intersection of reality and fiction, weaving autobiographical themes with a strong collaborative dialogue with performers and artistic partners.
She creates for both companies and the independent scene, with works ranging from solo pieces to productions for young audiences. In recent years, she has choreographed for tanzmainz, Ballett Compagnie Oldenburg, Theater Wrede+, Schauspielhaus Essen, Theater Oberhausen, and Teatro Libero in Milan. In June 2025, her latest creation AEREA premiered at the Volksoper Wien, commissioned by the Vienna State Ballet.

Alessandra holds an MA in Contemporary Dance Education and teaches at the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts.

In conversation with Alessandra Corti

To Fully Take the Moment into One’s Hands

In conversation with Alessandra Corti

What was it like for you as a choreographer to work with such a large group?

It was a challenge, especially since it was my first time working with non-professional dancers. It required a different approach and prompted me to reflect on my own routines. My team and I sought dialogue with the participants early on, because even during the planning phase it became clear how different the ideas of “Plan B” were. Questions such as: What does a Plan B mean to you? When have you experienced a turning point? What associations do you connect with it?

From these conversations emerged a wide range of perspectives that ultimately found their way into the production. It was important to me that everyone could contribute their feelings and discover their own personal connection to the theme.

What role does the specially composed music play?

The music by Anton Berman and Kostia Rapoport was largely pre-produced, which meant I could already work with it during rehearsals. It creates a floating, emotional atmosphere. I rarely work with fixed counts; instead, I prefer to let the music and performers exist more independently within the space.

This creates a certain unpredictability that I value deeply: you can fully take the moment into your hands. The structure and sequence are clear, but every performance develops differently. At first, this felt unsettling, but over time it came to be experienced as freedom — combined with responsibility and a strong sense of presence.

How would you like Plan B to be received?

I hope the audience remains open to their own perspectives and takes away a variety of impressions. Just as diverse as our viewpoints were throughout the process, the perceptions in the audience will be as well. Ideally, an emotional connection emerges — carried by the enthusiasm of the participants.

Currently there are no upcoming performances of this Program.

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