On Thursday May 28th 2009, the independent dance group Filigrán (Filigree) held its evening of contemporary dance, this time subtitled Filigrán and Malé F, Malé F and Filigrán. The first part of the evening belonged to Malé F (Small F) – an ensemble, which originated as a potential “prep school” for the “big” Filigrán. This time there were short performances directed by Barbora and Tereza Leskovjanovás, Klára Rakušanová, Petra Klanicová and Michaela Hadravová, who was a new addition to the project.
The subject of the first choreography Pomyslně zavřené (Imaginarily Closed) came from a graduation work of former Duncan Centre student Lucie Hanáková. The visual artistry of the performance was centered on one original and functional prop, which at the same time served as a costume for all the three dancers: a giant “skirt,” suspended from four sides and used jointly by all the interpreters, with heads and then hands and upper parts of their bodies protruding from its various openings. Three fairies, authoresses of their danced emotions, in few minutes created a white story about themselves, their restricted possibilities and their desire to throw them away...
The second choreography Lidé venku (People Outside) took us into the souls of three women, who hear their inner voices that constrict them, delimit them, urge them to something which is not their desire, or which just accompany their lives. The interpreters and authors have used the composition perfectly. Although all three of them were on the stage together for most of the time, the choreography is a synthesis of three solo stories to their own music and own motivation. Lidé venku perceive themselves and accept themselves at the same time, which is what makes them interesting and worth watching.
Tehdy měla náruč plnou světla (Back Then Her Armful Was Full of Light) was the last choreography of the evening and Malé F´s good-bye to the audience. Black dresses, slim arms of the dancers, music by Gustav Mahler, beautiful dancing, a feast for the eyes. It is almost unbelievable how an original compositional play is capable of giving rise to a breathtaking performance. Veronika Kolečkářová makes do with few chorographical “tricks” and the dancers accentuated her aim. A very fine ending of the first half.
Two choreographies by Filigrán followed: K.Y.S. and Možnost 917 (Possibility 917). These two performances took place subsequently one after another, but the second one actually did draw upon the previous one. Some kind of imaginary poetics linked both of them. Only Filigrán knows whether this was intended or coincidental. K.Y.S., a choreography of two men: Petr Minster and Florian Tilzer offered the audience a peek into the male world, a world where fighting and struggling for one's rights is natural. Feelings of victory and truth alternated with one another. The interpreters were keeping the audience in suspense for the whole time, and often they were able to tell everything by mere facial expression, though sometimes also in a more bizarre way (like a surprising fall from the stage and subsequent appearance on the other side of the stage – not even the first row knew exactly what was happening). Both dancers thus emanated evident inner anguish, guilt and feelings of being in danger. The entire cycle of complicated being ended with imprinting the contours of both men on the back wall of the stage.
Several chalk drawings of human figures on the wall in the background were then used (or rather only hinted at) by dancers and choreographers of Možnost 917, the last work of the evening. Veronika Kolečkářová, Eva Navrátilová, Zuzana Režná, Lucie Sendlerová: four dancers who talked of forms of love, often with incredible pain. And they did not use a metaphorical language – instead, very realistically they were thrusting their nails deep into various parts of their own bodies and into the audience, and in case of personal interpretation this did leave traces of blood. Love has many forms, and so do addiction and lust. In the moments when the dancers were casting aside their spleen and negative feelings stemming from what they had experienced recently or dreamt about, the audience could not feel too calm. The need for embrace and physical love in various forms and the inner desires of young women troubled by dismal feelings appeared on the stage several times. Just be careful about some moments which were way too long and which brought momentary confusion into the minds and eyes of the audience. Although, perhaps precisely this was intent? If this be true, then the authors have worked out the composition very well and they allowed the audience to look away from a very difficult theme.
The expression of the interpreters accentuated the intensity of the dance narrative. Veronika Kolečkářová and Florian Tilzer´s past experience with the work of Ioana Mona Popovici was evident here. Both were most convincing in their choreographies and feeling natural at the same time. Most of the audience highly appraised their work. The “extraordinariness” did not harm the choreographies; as a whole they appeared very well balanced.
Every year of the Filigrán dance evening brings very interesting performances. It is only to be regretted that more attention is not paid to them, for these are choreographies, which deserve a better appraisal. This Brno dancing is somehow different… different and more genuine, more demanding interpretation-wise, and not loaded with commercionalism…
Presented: 28. 5. 2009, Barka Theatre
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