Silke Z. resistdance is a constantly changing, genre-crossing space for action and thinking with the focus on dance and performance. The Cologne-based dance company has been producing, touring and working nationally and internationally since 1999. It perceives itself as a sort of open system, focussing on research on dance performance development, audience encounters and the break-up of the classical stage situation.
Under the artistic direction of Silke Z. – with ensemble members Caroline Simon, Antonio Cabrita and Angus Balbernie -, the company observes people, society (and societies) as well as their movements and shifts. The collaboration of different artists, dancers, thinkers, producers, acquisition and office people enables the examination of social and individual movements from a heterogeneous standpoint and from different perspectives. In this way, trans-media performance and dance theatre plays emerge occasionally that question, provoke and mirror sometimes, giving impulses to awareness, to feeling and thoughts.

Following her diploma in sports with an emphasis on dance and ski, Silke Z. studied dance at the European Dance Development Center (EDDC) in Arnhem, NL, and at the Moving On Center – School for Participatory Arts and Research (MOC) in San Francisco, USA. She is the artistic director of the Silke Z. resistdance company and co-founder of ehrenfeldstudios, a production and work place for independent dance in Cologne. With her company and the three performers António Cabrita (PT), Caroline Simon (BE) and Angus McLean Balbernie (GB/FR), she develops dance and performance art nationally and internationally. Additionally, she works on cross-over concepts with other artists from different genres. In 2011, she founded studiotrade that now has 15 partners and extended partners, from seven initial European partners. The network is artist-led, offering alternative support in production processes in contrast to established institutions. In April 2014, Silke Z. published a book on the previous dance performance series Unter Uns! under the title “UNTER UNS! Künstlerische Forschung – Biographie – Performance” (“AMONG US! Artistic research – Biography – Performance”) at transcript Verlag.