The Upheaval

Born in France, Philippe Blanchard was educated at nine years of age as a ballet dancer and a musician at the Conservatory of Music and Dance in La Rochelle (FR). After performing for various established dance companies (NDT, Batsheva Dance Cie and Cullberg ballet), Philippe began to develop his choreographic practice in Stockholm, where he swiftly founded a small flexible organization which would respond to contemporary dance projects and various experimental ventures.

In 2018 after a few experiences and commission works in Europe, he left the producing art area and its circuit, inquiring about art and productivism and /or art and capitalism to conduct personal studies. Between 2018 and 2021, he taught dance compositions, choreographic scores and interdisciplinary practices at various universities, dance companies and dance organizations in the U.K., France and Sweden.

Three years ago, he returned to university to study Arts and Ecology at the prestigious Art school of Dartington/Plymouth University, where he recently graduated with an M.A.

He is now a specialized lecturer, teacher, curator, and artist in Sustainable Methodology in Performative Practice.

Maika Knoblich is a performance maker and light designer. She studied at the Institute for Applied Theatre Studies in Gießen (B.A. 2010) and did her Master’s degree at DasArts Amsterdam in 2013.

In 2009 Hendrik Quast and her founded Performance Duo Quast & Knoblich. Their often site-specific and durational performances have toured nationally and internationally. (Impulse Festival NRW, Steirischer Herbst Graz, Goethe Institute London.)

From 2022-2025 Knoblich taught performative practices at HBK Braunschweig. She also works as a coach for feedback in creative processes. She has been collaborating with Philippe Blanchard as a light designer and dramaturge since 2010.