“All the lonely people, where do they all come from? All the lonely people, where do they all belong?” – The Beatles

Today we are living in the age of systemic loneliness. Despite the  world being more interconnected and globalized than ever before, the  number of lonely people continues to grow. Even before the pandemic  started, loneliness was already a widespread problem: according to  studies, one in ten people living in Germany felt lonely frequently or  all the time. The pandemic has only made it worse. Social media,  technology, capitalism, hedonistic consumer culture, neoliberal work  ethics and urban way of living are contributing to the rise in  loneliness and benefiting from it at the same time. Together they form a  system that exposes us to loneliness on a daily basis and on a global  scale. It not only affects our personal well-being, but also undermines  our sense of collective belonging.

The Intervention of Loneliness is a collaborative dance  performance that looks at the issue of systemic loneliness and human  disconnection. Developed from an earlier public intervention (Dance With Me)  – in which Ming Poon traveled to different cities asking strangers on  the street to slow dance with him – this performance invites us to  confront systemic loneliness together onstage. Slow dancing becomes an  act of resistance, as our bodies reach out, make contact and hold each  other. How can we reclaim loneliness, rather than letting it own us?  What has the pandemic taught us about it? How can we transform  loneliness from a place of separation and isolation into a tool for  collective action and solidarity?

Note: A post-performance discussion will be offered after