"Die Seele am Faden/Soul Threads”

A meditation on grace, control, and the human soul

Winner of Danza & Danza Prize for Best Choreography/Interpretation: Friedemann Vogel Winner of Danza & Danza Prize for Best Lighting Design: Fabiana Piccioli (for the 2024 Spoleto Festival)

“My body is the instrument of my soul.” Friedemann Vogel

What makes a dancer truly captivating? Is it technical perfection, or something deeper—something raw and unmistakably human? In Soul Threads, world-renowned dancer Friedemann Vogel and visual artist and co-choreographer Thomas Lempertz invite audiences into a profound exploration of identity and vulnerability, inspired by Heinrich von Kleist’s 1810 essay On the Marionette Theatre.

At a time when identity is often curated and controlled, Soul Threads asks: What happens when we cut the strings and relinquish control—or when we choose to embrace it? 

The Human vs. The Machine
A giant striking digital avatar of Friedemann Vogel looms over the stage, moving in synchrony with the live performer, inevitably referencing A.I., and raising the provocative question: Who is the more perfect dancer, man or machine? As the real and digital bodies mirror each other, the performance explores the tension between flawless technique and the emotional depth only a human can bring.

Critical Acclaim
Since its world premiere at the Kleist Forum in Germany and its Italian premiere at the 2024 Spoleto Festival, Soul Threads has captivated audiences and critics. The Schwetzinger Zeitung described dance in Friedemann’s performance as a “landscape of the soul,” praising the work as “captivatingly beautiful” and “a poetic image of the human condition.”Danza&Danza commended its “haunting visual elegance” and “introspective depth”,  while MOZ found it to be “a reflection on the future of mankind.”

A Solo That Transcends Performance
Suspended by harnesses like a marionette between flight and restraint, Friedemann’s performance is a delicate balance of mastery and surrender. With minimalist staging, immersive sound, and evocative digital art, Soul Threads becomes not just a dance but a transformative experience, resonating deeply with every audience.

“In the piece, the soul wins over the marionette. Of course. the soul always wins. We must remember that, especially now that everything is moving towards digital and AI. Ultimately, what counts and what remains and will always change our society is art, and that has to do with emotions, with human fragility.” Friedemann Vogel

At a Glance:

Duration: 60 minutes (with no interval)

Touring party: Five 

2025 performances:

6th + 7th May at the SWR Schwetzingen Festspiele

21st + 22nd June at the Kleist Forum 

14th July at the Hamburg Ballet

2026 performances:

10th, 13th, 18th, 19th, 24th, 30th Jan at the Schauspielhaus as part of the Stuttgart Ballet 2025-2026 season

Credits: Conception and choreography by Friedemann Vogel & Thomas Lempertz; Performance by Friedemann Vogel; Set & Costume Design by Thomas Lempertz; Live music and composition by Gaisma (Alisa Scetinina); Digital Art by Timo Kreitz; Lighting Design by Henry Winter; Produced by the Kleist Forum 

PRESS

“A masterpiece of reflection and interpretation, combining choreography, music, lighting design and direction to create a unique work…. A dazzling solo drawn with the breath, skin, bones, tendons, brain and heart, truly embodies the power and the beauty of the battle between man and robot.” Maria Luisa Buzzi, Editor in Chief, Danza&Danza Magazine

“An hour of pure emotions... a show of rare beauty, of deep sensitivity” Carlo Ceraso, Tutto Oggi

“A one-man show with profound meaning... Vogel, muscles of steel, makes a journey that is first and foremost a psychological introspection on the very reason for dancing and its emotional matrices. A unique, exciting show by a dancer who emphasizes how one dances not only with the body, but even before with the head and with the soul.” Lorenzo Tozzi, Il Tempo

“Kleist’s claim that true grace is only possible in a marionette because it lacks the self-awareness to control and question movement through dance is contradicted by Vogel in his performance. He deliberately expressed both movement and inner emotion, infused with feeling and reflection—and it was precisely this that reached the audience on an emotional level. For in Vogel’s work, dance became a landscape of the soul, and therein lies its power.” Jürgen Gruler, Schwetzingen Zeitung

“The world dance star enchants San Simone, which gives him a standing ovation. A mature and conscious dancer, perfect for this pièce, where puppet and man confront each other in a succession of visual and sound suggestions that break down their anatomies and scores of movement.” Arianna De Angelis Morocco, Umbria 24

“a reflection on the future of mankind......becoming human in the midst of despair at world events" Silvia Fitchner, MOZ

“ The lightness of being, which the poet Heinrich von Kleist granted to the puppet, is manifested here... The more the marionette humanizes itself in the course of the almost one- hour performance, the more immediate and truthful the dance becomes.” Hartmut Regitz, Tanz Magazin