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    We work with creative people to create cultural assistance and training programs for children and adolescents.


    More than a theatre

    Die Stelzer - Theatre on Stilts

    "Die Stelzer" is a Theatre on Stilts from Landsberg, Germany. The first theater was founded in 1983 and operates formation since 1994 with the name "The Stelzer". Over the years it developed more than 25 productions of very different character and aesthetic, composed stilt walk, acrobatic skills with impressive music, costumes and lights.


    This unique ensemble is composed of approximately twenty actors, performing theatre with acrobatic skill on the smallest stage possible – the stilt. We are based in Germany but we working world wide. "Die Stelzer" as a mobile theatre especially inspire and reach people living in remote areas or on the margins of society. "Die Stelzer" not only carry culture into countries, they also hold workshops in the relevant countries and integrate them in their performances.

    Compared to a simple cultural import, in this case an intensive bilateral exchange, the transfer of skills as well as the instruction to acquire an independent, self-contained expression is encouraged. The theatre are headed since 1999 by Wolfgang Hauck. He developed the concept of the Cultural Relief program 2014 in Turkey.


    This unique ensemble is composed of approximately twenty actors, performing theatre with acrobatic skill on the smallest stage possible – the stilt. We are based in Germany but we working world wide.


    Theatre on Stilts

    The idea «theatre on stilts» was actually initiated by the work with the FTM (Free Theatre Munich), founded in 1970 by George Froscher and Kurt Bildstein.

    The stilt actor has to conquer his performance-area first. Independent from stage and technology he turns streets and squares into theatre halls.

    Therefore this kind of theatre, exposed to the rough conditions of the market-place, is influenced by different elements:

    The most essential parts of the text have to be extracted and the content of them caught on to. The audience itself is an integral part of the performance.

    So «Theatre on Stilts» is one of the most vivid and direct ways of expressing urban culture.

    With actually more than 25 productions of very different character, the Stilt Walkers have marked and developed this genre considerably, since their start in 1983. «Die Stelzer» participate with productions like «walking acts» or big «open-air theatre» on international festivals. Since 2005 they starting with international youth projects for cultural relief.

    Wolfgang Hauck and Sonja Ertl trained stilt trainers for all regions in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2018. Since then, stilt courses have been held in all regions of Afghanistan. Girls and women in particular were able to practise this form of expression, as it was "halal". Since the Taliban took power in 2021, this form of stilt training is no longer accessible to girls and women.

    Short biography
    1983 First foundation of the group
    1994 Established as a theatre company
    1999 Exploration the professional and international work
    Since 2004 open-air-theatre on tour «Discorsi» or «Rheingold»
    2005 International Youth Projects Marocco
    2011 Open-air-theatre «Licca Line» with 40 youth stiltwalkers
    2013 Youth Projects, Kosovo, Austria
    2014 Youth Projects, Turkey, Ireland, Kosovo
    2017 Production "Arturo Ui" in kooperation with the "theater Wasserburg"
    2018 Training courses for theatre, costumes and stilt walkers in Kabul , Afghanistan 2019 Production "Die Nashörner" in kooperation with the "theater Wasserburg"
    2022 Establishment of a branch and new ensemble in Venice
    2024 Different productions in Venice and Augsburg


    Testimonials

    «In airy heights a happening is dragging multilayered told plausibly and along. Floating over all, the Stelzer kidnaps divine and human belonging in such a way into the deep, with completely own aesthetics.»

    Article, SZ, Germany

    Many thanks for your comprehensive description of the situation and the great work done. I think your plans very responsibly and serving peace in the world. Therefore, you have my support for the entire project fully.

    Bendict Schröder, RC Ammersee-Römerstraße

    It's great how you stand up for these young people who are there in great danger. I'll definitely plead, to continue to support your initiative, you make yourself risking their lives.

    Angelika Michael, RC Ammersee-Römerstraße

    All our team was/is so thankful and inspired by your work and energy in a short time you gave us again big impulse and good wipes thank you!

    Pınar Demiral, Her Yerde Sanat Derneği

    Wolfgang Hauck

    Shareholders and director


    Wolfgang Hauck has completed various artisanal and therapeutic education and are working as performer, artist, musician, actor, photographer and project developer for more than 30 years. For 24 years he directing the theater "The Stelzer" in Landsberg am Lech. From 2007 till 2019 he is both culturally and politically the head of "Free Theatre Association Bayern e.V." active. He develops cultural initiatives and organization as "Fool Time Living Company - Corporation for Performance Realisation", "Die Stelzer", "dieKunstBauStelle" and "KIDZ" or concepts such as the "Cultural Relief Program - Training the Trainer". He is also an alternative practitioner with medical and therapeutic training.


    Peter Pruchniewitz

    Shareholder and director (1999-2018)


    Actor Peter Pruchniewitz studied at the Theatre Academy in Zurich from 1979 to 1982. After graduating he performed regularly across Germany, Austria and Switzerland, appearing in drama, dance and musical theatre productions. Since 1993 he has worked with directors such as Tilman Knabe, Nicolas Brieger, Pierre Audi, Christoph von Bernuth, Jasmin Solfaghari, Bettina Giese, Carolyn Sittig and Peter Konwitschny. Since 1992 he are working as director the play "Licca Line" and "Rheingold" of the "Die Stelzer". He direced the youth program in Kosovo with stilts "Merula" 2014-2015.


    Leo Mandl

    Shareholders (since 2018)


    Leon Mandl joned the theatre "Die Stelzer" at age of 14. More than 8 years was working in different projects of "Die Stelzer". 2014 Studied fine arts in the photography class at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna, from 2017 studied stage and costume design at the Weissensee School of Art in Berlin. Graduated with a diploma in 2020. Since 2007 in the ensemble and since 2018 in the management team of the stilt theatre "Die Stelzer". From 2014 to 2018, trainer in the "Cultural Relief Program", a stilt theatre project for refugee children and young people in Mardin, Turkey.


    Sonja Ertl

    Trainer


    Sonja Ertl completed the training as a circus educator at the Jojo-Center Munich and is working in different projects in the fields of circus education in the munich area since 2001. Joining the stilt perfomance-group "Die Stelzer" in 2002, Sonja was able to gain experience as a performance artist, rounding off her portfolio which also includes educations as a pyrotechnician and a magician at the school of magic in munich. Besides working for the City of munich in a girls dorm for mentally ill girls, she founded the well-known children's circus 'Westendzirkus'. In 2015 Sonja started her training as a professional clown in the "Art of stumble" - school.


    Anselm Kirsch

    Percussion-Drum-Trainer


    Anselm Kirsch is a private drum teacher and music educator in Würzburg. 2014 he finished his music studie as "Bachelor of Music". His band "Vorzeige Kinder" received the "Bavarian Newcomer Prize" and made China-Tour. He played in several bands such as „Erpfenbrass“, the "Chicken Swings Big Band "and several Project-Orchestras. In 2015 he joined the team for the "Cultural Relief Program" as a specialist for percussion with body-percussion and Cajon-Workshops in Turkey as well as in Germany.


    Manuel Schunter

    Trainer: Stilts-Clown-Artistic


    Manuel Schunter studied Physical Theatre in the Accademia Teatro Dimitri in Switzerland. He toured as Clown with Circus Monti and Circus Sarrasani, performed in the city theaters of Freiburg, Lugano and Bern and works regularly at the Origen Festival Cultural. With his Comedy-Duo Tebe und Leiste he performs in TV-Shows, Varietés and Events. Since 2014 he directs the artistic program of Circolino Pipistrello in Switzerland. He works with Die Stelzer since 2006.


    We work with individuals and groups of all sizes to bring ideas to life through thoughtful, practical project solutions.


    Theatre-Workshops

    Our theater workshops are built on a physical acting playing shape.


    Photography-Workshops

    Photography by simple means provides the ability to document and to tell stories. Our own, such as from others.

    Fine-Arts-Workshops

    With painting and simple methods, we show children and teenagers how to express themselves without words.


    Performing-Arts-Workshops

    We offer workshops for the Performing Arts. We combine music, theater and dance.

    Social projects

    We develop events, performances and initiatives for social and cultural projects.


    Development and Design

    We create workshops to improve social, mental and emotional competence and skills.

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Contact Info

+49 8191 29456

info@culturalrelief.org

www.culturalrelief.org

Weilheimer Str. 6 d
86899 Landsberg am Lech
Germany

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