Review: BLKDOG at Grand Théâtre

This week, the Grand Théâtre of Luxembourg presented us with with Botis Seva's BLKGOD, a remarkable dance performance reflecting on the ugly nature of modern social relations, on the burdens of self-awareness and on youth's constant treading on the slopes of self-destruction. A raw and dark six-person show, put together by the company Far From The Norm, which surely reached the hearts and minds of everyone in the audience.

The gold: The psychological angst. Nothing in this performance expressed a positive feeling. Aided by both a strategically selective lighting and an overwhelming and often unsettling music score, the dancers managed to express multiple layers of complex emotions, virtually all of them negative. Public shame, anxiety, depression, rage - so many forms of human struggle, currently amplified by the rigours of modern existence, were felt in its most primordial and visceral way. Difficult and traumatic social scenarios also took form through dance, with a constant sense of heavy psychological toll and permanent angst.

The silver: The synchronization. Unquestionably, the best we have seen in recent months. There was barely a moment when performers were not absolutely coordinated. Considering that hoods covered their faces for a good part of the show, seeing every single person on stage constantly equidistant and aligned to perfection was almost uncanny. The entire execution was nothing short of impressive.

The bronze: The drums. A musical reflection wrapping up our podium today. While the score was quite powerful in itself, with voice recordings and effects that spoke volumes, what we were most impressed with was the drum work. Particularly prominent in the earlier part of the performance, they did not fall to the overused tendency of mimicking heart beats, standing instead as a dominant force able to determine the atmosphere. Performers seemed to move to its rhythm sometimes, but the real impact was seeing the dynamic between tone-setting sound and the reactive nature of characters lost in life.

Another home-run. Our thanks to the Grand Théâtre and everyone involved.

To reach out to the writer: nuno.de.sousa.lopes@gmail.com