This is an exciting and intense work called “dissolve in this” choreographed by Johan Inger for the Netherlands dance theatres I and II. He collaborated in this production with Jens Sethzen who created the sets and lighting design.
This ballet is created for16 dancers although it is not intended as a large group work. Inger focuses initially in and out of the individual experience with each dancer, then raises the focus above the individual to the collective experience of the group to express universal themes such as time, origin and transformation.
The strong blue light in the first clip is very striking and eerie and to me it almost dwarfs the dancers. In the other scenes it becomes more shades of grey making the dancers and space blend into a mono environment. Other scenes have a black background and are lit from the side which gives the impression of being in outer space on some planet. There is a strong elemental sense due to the stage being covered with some kind of dirt, which seems to ground the dancers into the earth of some place.
I love the movement it is so expressive, daring and dynamic. The dancers use the whole body in quick, sharp, disjointed and even impulsive movements interspersed with pedestrian actions and sharp pauses. To me there is a strong feeling in the work which is disquieting emphasized by the monochromatic environment and erratic choreography.
This piece is very exciting and powerful and of course brilliantly danced by the artists of Netherlands dance companies I and II who are always wonderful to watch! I would love to find a full version to watch.
Hope you like it to! Pass it on!
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