Image by Ximeh.art

Currently based in Alsace, France

Dancer, performer, and sound experimenter, Vivien Knuchel has been exploring diverse movement genres since adolescence, from hip-hop to contemporary dance. Today, their work primarily revolves around contemplative somatic practices, butoh, and contact improvisation. Their performances investigate the dynamics of improvisation, particularly embodying the "microbe creature" state—beings that exist purely through being, free from the constraints of thought. Improvisation emerges naturally from the body, its potential unfolding like life itself, from bacteria to planets. They have performed their creations in France, Germany, and Slovenia.

With an initial background in visual arts and design, Vivi is also passionate about cinema, which inspires them to create videos focused on the strange and filming the dance. As a sound creator under the pseudonym Lapsöria, Vivi writes songs and uses drums alongside primarily electronic tools to compose music and atmospheres for live performances, podcasts, and CI jams. Their debut album, Le Soleil est Parti (2023), is a blend of poetry, soundscapes, and ecstatic rhythms.

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After completing a dance program at the University of Strasbourg, I am currently studying contact improvisation across Europe and participating in the "L'Incertain-Cohérent" long-term training led by choreographer-improviser Thierry Giannarelli in Cabasse, France. This work explores improvisational dynamics inspired by animal biology and alternative imaginaries.

In 2023, I participated in several Erasmus+ projects funded by the European Union. These projects focused on movement, conscious touch, non-verbal communication, and physical listening. I integrated these tools into my physical practices and facilitation work, enhancing well-being, fostering deeper connection, and nurturing imagination.

UPCOMING SHOWS:

18TH MAY 2025, CABASSE, FRANCE - TENTATIVE ANIMALE