(Publicity photograph of The People United company)
This is an impressive company performing a wide
range of choreographic requirements as well as emotions. (Review by Caroline
Smart)
SYLPHIDES- humans-fishes-birds, which recently had
three performances at the 2019 National Arts Festival, is a dance creation by
Hannah Ma in collaboration with her company, The People United.
SYLPHIDES- humans-fishes-birds is inspired by the
romantic ballet Les Sylphides and swarm movements of fishes
and birds.
The original Les
Sylphides was created in 1909 with choreography by Michel Fokine, music by
Frédéric Chopin and orchestrated by Alexander Glazunov. Representing a move
away from the normal ballets which had storylines, Les Sylphides is often described as the first ballet to be simply
about mood and dance without any plot.
With SYLPHIDES-
humans-fishes-birds, Hannah Ma takes these ideas further and the dance
piece represents part of ongoing long-term research on group movements, archaic
rituals, intercultural communication and holistic approaches to connect to a
higher self.
The work features dancers Christin Braband, Yuri
Fortini, Alexandre Goyer, Ritsuko Matsuoka, Sergio Mel and Ileana Orofino, with
music by Chopin and Mozart.
It’s all about love, betrayal, rejection and
hopelessness and life hereafter. This is an impressive company performing a
wide range of choreographic requirements as well as emotions. There are tender
moments for the love scenes, amusement with playful games, and fiery dismissal when
the boy rejects the girl whose desolation is beautifully handled.
Representing the “fish” aspect of the title, the
dancers collected in a group waving like ocean waves and quivering legs. There
is also the most breathtaking leap from one dancer to another that I have ever
seen!
Don’t miss SYLPHIDES-
humans-fishes-birds if it comes your way. It provides much food for
thought. – Caroline Smart
(National Arts Festival: To link direct to the NAF site click on the
large banner that runs across the top of this blog or visit
https://www.nationalartsfestival.co.za/)
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