"Four Phases of Fear" is a Palestinian-German dance project. Stemming from the themes of fear and identity, a touching and personal dance film has emerged, which premiered on July 20, 2021, at the Kunsthafen Cologne. In the dance film, four performers explored various facets of fear:

They delved into the biological fear that resides deep in the brains of animals and humans, a constant companion over which we have no control.

They examined fear in political spaces, which can be part of a collective identity: it signifies a separation from unfamiliar social structures but also strengthens community.

They looked at the fear of otherness: something learned, stories from other creatures or mythological beings that are passed down and relearned, shaping us as social beings.

They searched for their "collective unconscious": what fears have we inherited without ever experiencing the triggers? What fears have become ingrained in us? How much influence do they have on us, and how much influence do we have on them?

These biologically shared and learned fears were variables in the quest for "what" connects people and "what" separates them. The film "Four Phases of Fear" shares the search for these fears but also for new identity motives that question beyond national identification: Who am I, and what defines me?

DANCE & PERFORMANCE: Abdallah Damla, Josefine Patzelt, Amir Sabra, Camila Scholtbach
ARTISTIC DIRECTORS: Camila Scholtbach & Josefine Patzelt // CAMERA: Konrad Bohley & Alaa AliAbdallah "Regash"
EDITING: Konrad Bohley

Funded by the NATIONAL PERFORMANCE NETWORK Production Support Dance, funded by the Commissioner of the Federal Government for Culture and Media and by the City of Cologne.