Dance play

»Searching for traces« – outside of so-called normalcy. Nine outsiders, people at the edge of society, cover themselves in red blankets as if they need protection. The movements escalate to shivering, to cramps. The subconscious comes to light; archaic forces are released until debilitation. And then suddenly: stillness.

No stage design. No musicians. No text. Only a few songs and noises. No tools. Emptiness as the centre of existence – a challenge. The trivial stands next to the pure, the sensual next to passion. The piece is dedicated to Pina Bausch, one of the most important choreographers of the 20th century. She died in 2009 – and Alain Platel sees his own traces in her as well. After opulent stage pieces such as »Wolf« (based on music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, 2003) and following ever-larger productions, Alain Platel has now been able to reach a new place in his work: pure dance.

Alain Platel, born in 1956 and resident in Flemish Ghent, founded the company les ballets C de la B in 1986. He numbers amongst the most important choreographers and directors of our time. He was already repeatedly invited to euro-scene Leipzig: »La tristeza cómplice« (»The shared sorrow«, 1996), »Bernadetje« (1997), »Iets op Bach« (»Oddments on Bach«, 1998), »Allemaal Indiaan« (»Everyone is an Indian«, 2000), »vsprs« (2006) und »pitié!« (»Have mercy!« 2008).

»A miracle takes place, the purification of the refined. It rises almost noticed from the cluster of symptoms: the ballet. We marvel and laugh, for as long as we can keep in mind: there hasn’t been anything to laugh about with Platel for a very long time. Laughing in the ballet, that’s ok« (Arnd Wesemann, tanz, Berlin, April 2010).