Together with musicians and performers Bruna Cabral and Jakob Jentgens Elina co-founded the intercultural and interdisciplinary artist collective ‘CUMA Kollektiv’ in January 2021. The first full-length programme of the group and Elina’s graduation piece, the physical theatre concert Vacation from Love has already been invited to several festivals and was awarded the Folkwang Preis in 2021.
In their work, Elina is interested in the misconceptions of the supposed ‘absurdities’ and ‘normalities’ of human behaviour; how our imagination influences the way we perceive the world around us. This is among others motivated by a desire to question and deconstruct prevailing assumptions of gender roles and stereotypes.
With a poetic and at the same time direct stage language they address the question of how personal issues reflect the broader political and ideological landscape we all live in.
Their performances take place in the intersection between physical theatre, dance, and live music, the form and genre of each specific piece developing alongside the chosen theme. Influenced by dance theatre, contact improvisation, partner acrobatics and embodiment Elina explores the body’s endless potential for storytelling.
