Backstage at GROOVE: How the show is created at GOP Essen

When the curtain falls in September 2026 in the new GOP Artistical Theater Essen, the audience will have seen around 120 minutes of world-class acrobatics, live music, and pure emotion. What they won’t see are the months of work behind every single scene. We take you behind the scenes of GROOVE – the first show in the new Artistical Theater at Rottstraße 30 in Essen.

From vision to show: How GROOVE was born

Every great show begins with an idea. For GROOVE, it was the question: What happens when you combine the energy of the disco era of the 1970s with modern world-class acrobatics? Show Director Aleks Uvarov and his creative team developed a concept over months that blends acrobatics, live music, and an emotional story into a complete experience – an artistic hybrid called an Artistical.

Unlike classic variety shows or musicals, an Artistical focuses on the fusion of all art forms. There are no disconnected numbers, but rather a dramatic arc that carries the audience through the entire evening. From the first note to the final applause.

The creative team: Seven minds, one vision

Behind GROOVE is an interdisciplinary team from direction, choreography, music, stage technology, and costume design. Aleks Uvarov directs as Show Director, Valentina Steinkühler is responsible as Artistic Director for artistic quality, and Jens Eckhoff has created a specially produced soundtrack as Music Director that combines disco beats with orchestral elements.

Choreographer Julietta Sgarlatta translates the music into movement, while Sebastian Drozdz as Technical Director and Stage Architect shapes the space – including state-of-the-art LED technology and immersive lighting design. Costume designer Kristina Bautina ensures that every costume references the 1970s without looking dated. Production Manager Simon Preißing keeps all the threads together.

The rehearsals: When perfection meets passion

Weeks before the premiere, the international artists arrive in Essen. In intensive rehearsals, individual acts are perfected, transitions timed, and the interplay of acrobatics, music, and light synchronized. Every lifting figure, every spin on the rope, every roller-skating jump is repeated hundreds of times – until it works.

Especially exciting: Since GROOVE is the first show in the completely newly built Artistical Theater, the technical possibilities of the new venue must also be explored first. The stage, the lighting, the acoustics – everything is new, everything wants to be conquered.

The sound: More than background music

In GROOVE, music is not an accessory, but a central pillar. The soundtrack was specially produced and combines disco classics with modern arrangements. Live on stage is none other than Della Miles – a singer whom millions know as the voice behind some of the greatest hits in music history. In GROOVE, she takes the spotlight herself.

The combination of live vocals and pre-produced beats creates an atmosphere that makes the hall vibrate tangibly – pure disco feeling, but in a completely new context.

The finishing touch: From dress rehearsal to premiere

In the final days before opening, everything intensifies. Dress rehearsals with full light, full sound, and complete costumes simulate the real thing. The creative team sits in the audience, takes notes, corrects, and fine-tunes. This is where a good show becomes a great one.

And then: premiere. The audience flows into the new GOP Artistical Theater on Rottstraße in downtown Essen, the mirror balls spin, the first notes sound – and GROOVE comes to life.

Learn more about the show | Discover the new Artistical Theater | Directions & Parking