performance collective

ABA NAIA is a Berlin-based performance collective that pushes the boundaries between theater, performance art, clowning and dance as an ongoing process. The collective consists of 3 artists: Jaika Bahr, Kysy Fischer and Rafuska Marks, whose performances deal with themes such as sexuality, absurdity, deviation, humor, stream of consciousness, failure and the fight against the fascist wave. On September 13 and 14, Super Superficial (by Kysy Fischer) will be at the Transeuropa Festival Hildesheim. 

ABA NAIA practices a responsible deviation of clowning in which we utilize the world around us, in the rehearsal room and on stage as the potential of our performances. We see each other and are there for each other. The presence of the audience, who shares the stage experience with us, plays a big role in our work. We call ourselves “fourth wall free performers”. We enjoy being ridiculous and vulnerable. Performatively, we work with the materiality of “here and now”. We look for humorous confrontations with the imperfections in our lives, insecurities, doubts, fears and obstacles, but also for love, passion and hope. We embody all of this on stage, in the acute moment. Our performances can be experienced when there is an exchange between the audience and the performers. We work and explore comedy, the body, the voice and the thoughts. Humor opens up the possibility of questioning certainties and uncovering contradictions – we are here to confuse, rarely to explain. At the same time, our performance concepts remain changeable. We will never be done rethinking and developing our content, we will always discuss and explore contradictions. 

The collective has developed the following works since 2017: “We Can Do It Moaning” (#TakeHeart resumption funding Fonds Daku, PAF Berlin, “HundertPro Festival” at Ringlokschuppen Ruhr and “Red Pearl Festival” in Helsinki, “Poryes Award” HAU Berlin, “ACT Festival” Sofia), “Ad Absurdum” (#TakeHeart process funding Fonds Daku), “DauerDeviation” (research funding Fonds Daku, “Get on the Internet Festival” at Omnibus Theatre London), “Parrhesia: frankness and streams of thought as a method of creation” (research funding Fonds Daku), “Fiasko” (Fonds Daku #TakeCare, The Lab at ETB | IPAC) and “The Panel” and “Banana Pride” (The Expo Festival).