“Get on the mat!” (Ab auf die Matte!) is a dance performance for adults and children aged 4 and above: five young performers, one oversized mat – and a world full of possibilities. Sometimes it becomes a soft cloud, then a dangerous slope. It turns into a surfboard, a wall, a raft, a roof, a bridge, a playing field. The five performers climb, slide, build, hide, argue, help each other, lose their balance – and discover new paths. What first appears to be an exuberant game reveals deeper layers the longer you watch: it is about struggle, boundaries, courage and solidarity. Who gets to climb up? Who is left outside? Who holds you when everything is tipping over? In these questions, the themes of our time are reflected: movements of displacement meeting holiday paradises, walls as border protection, and the growing backward shift of our open societies towards exclusion and isolation. All of this is approached with energy, imagination and humor, exploring how we overcome obstacles, negotiate new spaces for everyone, and dream together of arriving in another – perhaps finally – better world.
“Get on the mat!” was developed from an idea by LUNA PARK’s artistic director Kosmas Kosmopoulos, in collaboration with the participating dancers and in close exchange with the pupils of the Gesundbrunnen Primary School and their families.
Cast & Crew
Performance: Nolwenn Benichou-Samson, Nikoleta Koutitsa, Marthe Meier, Lucio Seta, Caspar Sebastian Stuart Ilschner
Artistic Direction, Concept and Set: Kosmas Kosmopoulos
Choreographic Assistance: Nikoleta Koutitsa
Audio Design and Sound Concept: Carlos Aller
Technical Direction and Lighting Design: Eduard Mont de Palol
Text and Dramaturgical Consultation: Kai Pichmann
Production Management and Communication: Fee Josten, Carmen Maria Jentzsch
Photography and Documentation: Giovanni Lo Curto
Performances (Duration: approx. 55 minutes)
Wed, 17 December, 10:30, Preview (sold out)
Thu, 18 December, 10:30*, Preview (sold out)
Sat, 20 December, 19:00, Premiere (Tickets via reservix or at the box office)
Sun, 21 December, 15:00** (Tickets via reservix or at the box office)
Uferstudios (Studio 1), Badstraße 41a, 13357 Berlin
Tickets
10 € / 5 € (reduced)
*After the performance on Thursday, 18 December 2025, we invite young people, together with Theatre Scoutings Berlin, to take part in an approx. one-hour workshop combining dance and theatre pedagogy. Building on the themes of the piece – play and conflict, closeness and distance, courage, boundaries and solidarity – participants will explore their own physical and creative expression. Through movement and improvisation exercises, we explore together:
– How do I move through space – alone and in relation to others?
– What happens when balance shifts or collapses?
– How can I tell stories with my body – without any words?
The aim is to deepen what was experienced during the performance through movement, reflection and playful exploration, creating space for personal engagement with the themes of the piece – with openness and respect for individual experiences.
No prior knowledge is required – curiosity is enough!
Registration for the workshop: insun.jung@pap-berlin.de
**On Sunday, 21 December 2025, a family-friendly Relaxed Performance will take place, including an introductory participatory element.
“Get on the mat!” is a production by Initiative LUNA PARK e.V. and Kosmas Kosmopoulos, in cooperation with the Gesundbrunnen Primary School, supported within the framework of the project “Kiez in Bewegung / Berlin”, funded by Deutsche Fernsehlotterie. The performances will take place as part of the international exchange for young dancers and choreographers “How to dance in times of crisis?”, supported by the German-Greek Youth Office (DGJW).
