Kia S. Smith / South Chicago Dance Theatre – Kia S. Smith / South Chicago Dance Theatre ‘s Residency
DAY 1 by Kia
January 12, South Chicago Dance Theatre arrived in Berlin for our residency at LAKE Studios. The last time I came to Berlin was in the Fall of 2022 and it was a residency for my first evening legnth work, Memoirs of Jazz in the Alley. It was the most fulfilling and inspiring residency because of the city of Berlin. The unending graffiti art, the energy of experimentation from the artists I encountered around the city, its history of innovation, grit and resilience…also, Berlin to me has the dual big city and small town vibe that I feel about Chicago. I’m very excited to see what I can create this week and look forward to interacting with the amazing team at LAKE Studios.
DAY 2 by Jack
January 13, marked the first day of our dance residency, and I’m feeling deeply grateful to be here. We jumped straight into material, letting the work speak immediately, and it brought up a lot of emotion in the best way. The studios are filled with beautiful sunlight pouring in through skylights, making the space feel open and alive. Outside, the air is crisp and the buildings are lined with snow, grounding the experience in a quiet kind of magic. Being here alongside my wonderful friends and fellow dancers makes the experience feel even more meaningful and supportive. With fewer distractions, I feel able to fully settle into my craft, connect with the people around me, and listen more closely to my body and the work.
DAY 3 by Kelly
Overall, what an incredible day of residency in Berlin. Today was the best mixture of structure, play, focus, and fun. The trip has just begun, but it’s already so memorable in the best possible way.
The day began as it typically does in Chicago as well. 9:15am call for warm-up in the studios. Only this studio in Berlin has a skylight view and a different sense of focus than at home. For a lot of us dancers, we work outside of rehearsal time or have other obligations to attend to. Here, thousands of miles away, our sole responsibility is to dedicate ourselves to this rehearsal process. Today we focused our energy on some phrases of movement that Kia, our director and choreographer, created. In addition, we explored some creative ideas with the potential use of props in abstract ways. It was thrilling to use our imagination in new ways and develop ownership in parts of the creative process. It’s one of my favorite things to do as a performer – act & think on my toes!
Post-rehearsal we all relaxed a bit and freshened up. A group of us dancers traveled to Alexanderplatz to check out the shopping and have a German meal. Top of my list for the trip was to have as many of my all-time favorite snacks: a pretzel. It did not disappoint and the live music at the restaurant was only a bonus on top of our group’s fun conversation. It’s always a treasure to me to get along and enjoy the company of my co-workers. At this point they’ve become friends that I trust in my everyday work & in life.
Day three and already thrilled to continue. Thanks, Lake Studios Berlin!
DAY 4 by Maya
Today was an incredible rehearsal! The studio was a wonderful and bright space. After rehearsal, some of us visited Alexanderplatz. It was my first time seeing the TV tower and savoring traditional German cuisine—it was delicious! My grandmother grew up in Berlin, so it was wonderful to see her hometown and explore.
DAY 5 by Chloe
I improvised in the big studio today and it brought the life back into me after being sleepy all day.
I’m obsessed with being able to eat, shower, and get into my bed within minutes of working all day.
After rehearsal my friends/coworkers and I went into town and ate some German food. It’s awesome that there are so many vegetarian options for me here!
I have been loving my stay at Lake Studios, the space is lovely and so homey.
Thank you for having us!
DAY 6 by Mya
After a productive rehearsal in the beautiful LAKE Studios, we all decided to go get dinner near Alexanderplatz. It was a cool experience eating cloud pizza and using scissors to cut the slices, it made it so much easier! After we finished dinner, we met up with other friends and went to different dive bars. I tried a mexikaner shot and surprisingly liked it.
I feel so lucky and inspired being in Berlin with the people I cherish the most.
This has been such a great experience and I’m so grateful to LAKE Studios for giving us the opportunity to be here.
DAY 7 by Marissa
I have been capturing photos of bears all around Berlin and wondered why there are so many around? My guess is that the name Berlin sounds like “bear”.
Through a little research, I’ve learned that bears are in Berlin because the bear is the symbol on the city’s official flag.
Now, why is there a bear on the city’s coat of arms?
Because, the bear emblem is a pun on the city’s name Little bear’ in German!
THE LAST DAY
On our final day in Germany, we started with improvisation that flowed into a shared company class alongside members of the Berlin community, and it immediately set a joyful tone for everything that followed. We dove into process work and a partnering exercise, and I kept thinking about how much this residency at Lake Studios has asked us to listen deeper—to ourselves and to each other. After a full day of rehearsal, we shared what we’ve been building over these eight days, and it felt both vulnerable and energizing to witness how far the work has come. The evening turned into one of my favorite moments: a community meal with homemade food in our kitchen/studio/living space, where the warmth in the room made Berlin feel like home. Even as we packed our suitcases to head back to the States, the excitement and gratitude stayed buzzing in the air. We ended with one last full company hang before bed, and I fell asleep feeling so lucky for this time in Berlin, for Lake Studios, and for the people who made this week so welcoming and unforgettable.
