DIALOGUES is Being Performed at Den Norske Opera & Ballett This Month

Imagine an entire evening with duets by Mats Ek, Crystal Pite, Jiří Kylián, Sasha Waltz, Ohad Naharin and Emma Portner. The six choreographers behind Dialogues define both the present and the future in modern dance. Now, each of them is contributing a choreographic work to an entire evening of dance that will subsequently be touring to the Alexandrinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Moscow Art Theatre and Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris.

Mats Ek, Crystal Pite and Jiří Kylián

The master of storytelling in ballet Mats Ek has enchanted the world with his precise and truly unique language of movement. Two dancers open the performance with a duet from the ballet Juliet & Romeo, a subtle work that plays on all registers of emotion.

The New York Times described Crystal Pite as "one of the most talented and intriguing choreographers working today." Pite clearly shares the pedestal with Forsythe, Kylián and Mats Ek and has created choreography for the major ballet houses around the world. New work from her is always an event - and this time, a very first premiere is taking place at the Oslo Opera House. The audience can look forward to brand-new choreography performed by dancers from Pite's own company Kidd Pivot.

14'20'' is one of Jiří Kylián's most characteristic works. The duration of the duet is exactly as the title implies and deals with, precisely, time - a unit that, according to Kylián, "controls our lives without us even knowing how to define it".

Sasha Waltz, Ohad Naharin and Emma Portner

Berlin-based Sasha Waltz is considered one of the most important innovators in contemporary dance, famous for her ground-breaking and spectacular productions. In Impromptus, she explores human intimacy and the versatility of moods to the music of Schubert. The dancers originate from the ensemble Sasha Waltz & Guests.

Ohad Naharin is the man behind the Gaga movement language, and his works have been met with rousing applause around the world. He is bringing dancers with him to the Oslo Opera House with a background from the Israeli Batsheva Dance Company, offering a powerful version of Ravel's Boléro set to an electronic musical arrangement by composer Isao Tomita.

Finally, the icing on the cake: a re-encounter with the phenomenon Emma Portner and her islands. The duet had its world premiere during the final performance of the Norwegian National Ballet before the pandemic forced the Oslo Opera House to close its doors. In the review of islands, Aftenposten's critic wrote that "The way in which she sculpts bodies is stunning." Canadian Portner is also known for her collaborations with Apple, Netflix and the Guggenheim Museum.

Dance is dialogue

The duets in Dialogues commemorate the very essence of dance as an encounter between people through movement and body language. Mats Ek writes the following about the project:

«Communication is a word defining a growing range of meanings. Today often connected to new medias as f.i. internet. It is not out of place to remind of a much older form for interaction; stage-art. Ancient, yes - some would say old-fashion, but still the most direct way of sharing the living moment with an audience. Doing so this program wants to perform not only 6 pas-de-deuxes by 6 choreographers, but also emphasize the dialogue within the DIALOGUES.»

- Mats Ek

Dialogues is a guest performance co-produced with Productions Internationales Albert Sarfati.

The premiere of Dialogues will be at Dansens Hus in Stockholm. New performance dates: 25, 26 and 27 November. In addition to performances in Stockholm and Oslo, the production will also visit St. Petersburg, Moscow and Paris.

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