RESEARCH
“Our work is not a finished product, each production is part of a process in which eternity moves through.”
— Julia & Rudi
The Research
Julia & Rudi perceive and experience the body as a sacred portal — a living bridge between the physical and the spiritual, animated by the breath of life itself.
Their lifelong curiosity about what moves us, what sustains us, and what makes us truly alive has carried them across the world — from the mountains of Ecuador to the wetlands of India, the highlands of Papua New Guinea, and the island of Taiwan, among others. Along the way, they have sought wisdom from hermits, shamans, and indigenous elders, exploring the essence of what it means to be human.
Their path has also intertwined with science — collaborating with researchers and physicists, including the NASA Kepler Mission’s leader in asteroseismology (the study of stars). Through this meeting of movement and science, they continue to explore how rhythm, vibration, and consciousness connect all forms of life.
Ultimately, their journey has become an offering — an ever-deepening exploration of a reality far greater than themselves. It is a return to the source of life, to the invisible presence that breathes through all things — a mystery both intimate and infinite
Fieldwork and Cultural Exchange
Humanhood’s fieldwork is rooted in direct, embodied experience — entering new landscapes, meeting people where they are, and allowing movement to become a universal language of connection. Across continents, Julia & Rudi have since 2015 immersed themselves in diverse cultural contexts, exchanging artistic practices and exploring the profound relationship between body, rhythm, and spirit.
An important part of this research involves how the body meets the local landscape — how movement is shaped by the texture of the earth, the breath of the wind, and the silent intelligence of place. In each encounter, the body becomes a living vessel for dialogue with nature — dissolving boundaries between self and environment, dancer and world.
In India, they delved into the intricacy of breath and movement with Sheela Raj in New Delhi — former dancer with Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham, and London Dance Theatre — and shared creative dialogue with Surjit Nongmeikapam at his cultural centre in Manipur, and Abhilash Ningappa in Bangalore.
In Taiwan, within the cultural city of Tainan, they engaged in a exhaustive exchange with the Ten Drum Cultural Troupe, learning the traditional ways of embodying rhythm while offering their own movement approach to the drummers.
In Indonesia, they explored the island of Bali, participating in traditional dances, learning from local elders about embodied healing practices, and offering movement sessions for the community in Ubud.
In Papua New Guinea, they were welcomed by a remarkable tribe at the Hogave Conservation Center, at the foot of Mt. Michael in the Eastern Highlands Province, sharing ways of perceiving and experiencing life while joining in traditional dances and ceremonies.
In Singapore, they exchanged movement approaches and choreographed for T.H.E National Dance Company, and in South Korea, collaborated with Dance Company Seoul, deepening artistic dialogue through shared physical language.
In Australia, they explored new choreographic directions with Gary Clark at the Australian Dance Theatre, as well as transmitting their movement practice to the company dancers.
Through these soulful encounters, HUMANHOOD continues to weave a living tapestry of cultural dialogue — a conversation that transcends borders and disciplines, honouring the diversity of human expression while returning always to the same essence: the breath, the body, the spirit.
Mix-Field Dialogue
Bridging art and science, HUMANHOOD’s research extends into collaboration with physicists and researchers — exploring the shared languages of human creativity and curiosity.
At Birmingham University, Julia & Rudi engaged in a series of interdisciplinary sessions with physicists, including members of the NASA Kepler Mission team in asteroseismology — the study of the inner vibrations of stars. These encounters unfolded as both dialogue and embodied exploration: Rudi & Julia joined scientists in their laboratories, participating in discussions and reviewing data, while the physicists, in turn, entered the dance studio to experience movement as a form of inquiry.
In these exchanges, breath and motion met frequency and waveform; the precision of scientific observation merged with the sensitivity of embodied awareness. Through shared curiosity, they explored what it means to research creatively.