tickling

Video | 2019

Tickling is more than a reflex – it is a physical means of communication that oscillates between closeness and violation, between playful intimacy and painful loss of control. In her video work tickling, Ronja Römmelt, together with performer Momo Fabienne Tanner and cinematographer Alicja Pahl, investigates this ambivalence in a focused, physically intense choreographic study.

The video centers on the performer’s torso, filmed in a tight close-up. She is tickled from two sides – sometimes gently and lovingly, sometimes abruptly and aggressively. The body’s reactions are uncontrollable: twitching movements, laughter, crying, resistance, and surrender merge fluidly. The constant struggle for self-control becomes visible – a physical record oscillating between vulnerability and autonomy.

The chosen framing avoids any voyeuristic gaze and directs attention to the essence: the body’s impulses. At the same time, it evokes associations with tickling as a method of torture – a practice situated between harmless touch and deliberate exertion of violence.

tickling powerfully demonstrates how close physical boundary experiences and emotional ambiguity can be – inviting viewers to reflect on their own responses to closeness, touch, and power.

Choreography:
Ronja Römmelt

Performance:
Momo Fabienne Tanner

Camera:
Alicja Pahl

Duration:
27 minutes (4 takes of approx. 7 minutes each)

Playback Mode:
Loop

Technical Setup:
Site-specific installation: projection or monitor

Production:
Studio RR

Supported by:
City of Zug, Canton of Zug, Migros Culture Percentage