Reykjavík Grapevine - 22.05.2015, Síða 38

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‘Les Médusées’
The first piece, ’Les Médusées’ is a story
about the mythical Gorgons, performed
by Halla Þórðardóttir, Hjördís Lilja
Örnólfsdóttir and Inga Maren Rúnarsdót-
tir. Like Medusa, they cannot look at each
other without becoming petrified, forcing
them to dance as a synchronised trio with-
out seeing one another. From a technical
standpoint, the perfect timing and spac-
ing the dancers used to accomplish this
was impressive. But technique aside, this
was also a very well-staged piece, with the
dancers performing in white stringed cos-
tumes - reminiscent of Medusa’s snakes -
to a rhythmic percussion score.
‘Babel(words)’
The second set of two works, entitled
‘Sin’ and ‘The Evocation,’ are both taken
from a collaboration between Damien
and Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi
Cherkaoui, entitled ‘Babel(words).’ ‘Sin’
is a powerful and beautiful duet about the
primordial couple. Diverging from the
traditional template for a duet, the man
(Einar Nikkerud) danced alone first, then
the two danced together, ending with the
woman’s (Þyri Huld Árnadóttir) solo, sig-
nifying a transfer of power. The incredible
strength of the dancers was clear, giving
the impression of effortlessness in both
their lifts and partnering.
But again, one of the most interest-
ing aspects of this piece is the costuming.
Both dancers were clad only in a pair of
black trousers. It’s not unusual to see the
rippling muscles of professional male
dancers, but without a top, Þyri’s raw
strength was visible, adding to the idea of
a transfer of power.
‘The Evocation’ was a fine group piece
about ritual and worship, filled with trav-
elling movements across the floor, but
didn’t hit the impressive peaks of the oth-
er works.
‘Black Marrow’
‘Black Marrow’, choreographed jointly by
Damien and Iceland Dance Company’s
artistic director Erna Ómarsdóttir in 2009,
was presented as the second act. This
piece is unquestionably the best work I’ve
seen by the company, telling the story of
the decay of civilisation, and of society’s
addiction to oil. The dancers worked with
a black rubber-like sheet that enveloped
the stage. When they were held beneath
it, we saw them struggling to break free;
when they danced over it, the sheet be-
came an ever-present puddle beneath
their feet. The apocalyptic feel of the piece
is enhanced by cold, dim lighting and eerie
clouds of dry ice.
‘Black Marrow’ is broken up into
roughly six sections, with the performers
developing from their primal/animalistic
origins to cogs in a societal machine, to
the ultimate demise of civilisation. In an
interview before the premiere Damien
thoughtfully said, “Some people consider
oil like the balm of God, and other people
consider it like the shit of the devil, and I
think it’s both.” So rather than preaching
about the evils of fossil fuels, the piece
gives the impression that people are the
real problem onstage, there is something
quite beautiful about the glistening rub-
bery materials and oily black paint.
In stark contrast to certain taboos of
modern dance, the choreography has
dialogue, is occasionally driven by props,
and includes a wonderfully camp dance
scene. But these elements are so grace-
fully woven into the work and the larger
narrative that they never feel cheap. The
movement quality changes from section
to section, which both keeps the piece
from feeling repetitive, and highlights the
strengths of different dancers. Einar Nik-
kerud and Elín Signý Weywadt Ragnars-
dóttir gave particularly excellent perfor-
mances. Einar, a Norwegian dancer who
joined Iceland Dance Company in 2013,
showed such stage presence and versatil-
ity that it was difficult to take your eyes
off him regardless of whether he did slow,
controlled, contemporary technique or
lip synced to Danzel. Elín, a guest artist
with Iceland Dance Company, delivered
a particularly moving and emotional per-
formance as she tried desperately to com-
municate with the other dancers when
the oil began to engulf them, proving her
prowess as both dancer and actor.
I really cannot recommend this show
enough.
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A Must See Performance By
Iceland Dance Company
May 25 and 28 at 20:00 Borgarleikhúsið‘Blæði: obsidian pieces’
For this year’s Reykjavík Arts Festival, Iceland Dance Company presents ‘Blæði: obsidian
pieces,’ made up of four works by Belgian choreographer Damien Jalet. The premiere met
with overwhelmingly positive reviews from dance aficionados and rookies alike. It’s an out-
standing overall performance, but I’d wager the response is also because Damien’s pieces
have a clear narrative; a characteristic often lacking from contemporary dance.
Words Anna Manning
Photo provided by Iceland Dance Company