Transit – between poverty and dignity … Six people are dwelling in a place that seems to be on the outskirts of a city. These figures who crawl out of mountains of clothing and are full of energy and a lust for life live in poverty. Everyone seems mentally ill or are they playing their own frightened shadows? A feeling of loss falls over this existence which increasingly distances itself from reality, becoming an abstract no man’s land.

The inspiration for this piece is the documentary film »Estamira« (2004) by Marcos Prado about a schizophrenic woman in Brazil who lived in a pile of rubbish for 20 years. Added to this is the video project »Singing lesson« by Artur Żmijewski from Poland, who arranges for the deaf to sing music by Johann Sebastian Bach. Deviation, strangeness and dissonance have a right to existence and possess their very own form of beauty.

Alain Platel, born in 1956 and resident in Flemish Ghent, founded the company les ballets C de la B in 1984. He numbers amongst the most important choreographers and directors of our time. He has already shown at euro-scene Leipzig »La tristeza complice« (»The shared sorrow«, 1996), »Bernadetje« (1997), »Iets op Bach« (»Oddments on Bach«, 1998), »Allemaal Indiaan« (»Everyone is an Indian«, 2000), »vsprs« (2006), »pitié!« (»Have mercy!«, 2008) and »Out of context – for Pina« (2010).