MOVE fest Ostrava 2015: Expanding the collection of hunting trophies
All dance hunters had to be particularly vigilant during the fourth day of the MOVE Fest Ostrava because a number of exceptional prey appeared. Rare species from Scandinavian grazing lands wandered into Ostrava hunting ground and couldn’t stay unnoticed. Saturday offered the best of Czech and foreign choreographers but also interesting lectures and energizing workshops.
Adéla Judasová’s morning workshop was the proof of the fact that the MOVE Fest doesn’t only offer a limited number of dance styles but tries to include a wider range of disciplines. The dance class was focused on contemporary and lyrical jazz, i.e. styles Adéla Judasová studied thoroughly during her stay in the United States. This type of dance requires a lot of energy, flexibility and sense of rhythm. Both short and longer variations combine elements of ballet, contemporary, gymnastics and jazz dance. Moreover, the instructor managed to create a great atmosphere in which even the most difficult bits seemed not too demanding.
What about the afternoon? Visitors interested (not only) in the classical dance had a chance to attend the 4 o‘clock lecture Don’t wake up the swan! given by Brigida Pereira Neves, a member of The National Moravian Silesian Theatre. The lecture focused on the well-known ballet Swan Lake – what do we know about it, besides the fact that there is a white and a black swan? When and where did it originate? And why are so many contemporary choreographers trying to make it over? All of this and even a bit more was included in this short but well-structured lecture.
The theory was followed by dance practice. Even though it wasn’t a live performance, the recording of Alexander Ekman’s A Swan Lake attracted an array of viewers. It was shown in Minikino Ostrava. One of the most popular choreographers carried out his vision of the Swan Lake with Norwegian National Ballet dancers using original Mikael Karlsson musical composition. Those who’d expected fragile ballerinas wearing white pointe shoes must have been surprised – choreography full of water, humour and plastic ducks included everything but ballet stereotypes.
Dark Horse, choreography by a great choreographer Lenka Vágnerová was the main event of the evening. Originally it was a children’s performance for a single dancer. Lenka Vágnerová created an hour-long solo for a member of Norwegian dance group Norrdans, Fanny Barrouquére who later visited many Norwegian
schools dancing in gyms and community centres bringing contemporary dance into the most remote parts of this Nordic country. Dark Horse is a story of a single person, his emotions, the dark side, transformation, the beginning and the end. The dancer has to be fully focused, highly skilled and good at acting as there is nothing but the performer, a couple of fabric birds and a rubbish bin – functioning as the main prop, changing room and shelter – on the stage. The choreography doesn’t lack humour and drama – when Fanny Barrouquére cries in one of the scenes, her tears are real, ironic, childishly pretentious but also self-seeking. When she rises from the bin in the second part, wearing a black train evening dress, she looks more like an animal or a creature from an imaginary world. However, she transforms into a model in seconds to start moving and fighting for her life desperately.
Both the dancer and also the choreographer Lenka Vágnerová kindly accepted our invitation and attended the following talk. All dance lovers got the chance to meet her in person, ask questions and discuss her work and future plans. Not every festival manages to host important contemporary dance celebrities. We should therefore congratulate MOVE Fest on such an achievement and wish it good luck on the last day of the hunting season.
Author: Tereza Cigánková
Dark Horse
Choreography: Lenka Vagnerova
Stage design and costumes: Jasminda Asplund Blanco
Light design: Fredrik Zetterberg
Music: Ivan Acher
Performing: Fanny Barroquère
A Swan Lake
Choreography and concept: Alexander Ekman
Music: short pieces from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, adapted by Mikael
Karlsson
Costumes: Henrik Vibskov
Light design: Tom Visser
Performing: Norwegian National Ballet and Norwegion National Opera orchestra
Orchestral adaptation: Mikael Karlsson / Michael Atkinson
Voice design: Mikael Karlsson / Alexander Ekman
Assistant choreographers: Ana Maria Lucaciu / Zack Winacur
Josef Bartos
Thank you for your thoughts. One got stuck in my mind – that passion makes us different from AI. Just yesterday I read…I am a dance critic. I am a member of an endangered species