Abstract
This paper addresses the subjects of dance and exile in relation to diverse cultural histories in Germany and their resonances across distinct time periods. As my central example, I introduce Dancing Exile, an ongoing improvisation and performance project developed across borders, cultures, and experiences. The project underscores the work of political and artistic representation past and present in Hamburg, by looking at the lives of contemporary refugees alongside earlier Jewish holocaust histories tied to the cityscape. Sharing the collaborative work of performers from Afghanistan, Germany, and the US, including myself, I discuss the aesthetic and social dynamics of this ongoing creative project in relation to questions of migration, mobility, relationship, and exchange.