by Martha Elias · Copenhagen · seen at SKUESPILHUSET / DET KONGELIGE TEATER on 23 October 2021 at 20:00 hs · third performance
5 out of 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Letting go of all outer constructions in order to have an encounter with another human being.” Pontus Lidberg
KENTAUR is a high-tech groundbreaking dance performance by acclaimed Art Director, Pontus Lidberg, where AI, AR, modern dance and creative direction intersect the ethical corpus of decision-making processes. The question remains: does a machine, created by human hands, enhance art performance?
A binary voice from a digitalised existence prompts dance phrases upon the performers – seemingly – to enhance human interaction. It insists on directing the nine dancers from DANSK DANSETEATER · DANISH DANCE THEATRE to test their capabilities, stamina and compliance. The AI entity has been furnished with a massive amount of data – including all the major works from Greek mythology, and also the performers’ track records and social media activity. This also means that each of the five times the dance performance is presented in Copenhagen renders a new show altogether, because the dancers may be different from time to time – and the AI may find a new algorithm. This amalgamation of dance, performance, digital art, musical texture and word content yields the virtuosity of this masterpiece. Poetic innovation on a 360-degree radius.
The AI creature seems to have an agenda for each performer and this is a crucial part of the challenging dramaturgy – by Adrian Guo Silver – that after series and phrases becomes a search for the encounter between the individual and ‘the otherness’, developing into a convergent evolution between a man alone, the AI entity and other individuals, which reaches a climax where in a solo – by Bradley Waller – one of the dancers does not comply and opts to follow his own inner voice, then still as a solo the dancer obeys and blindfolded engages into a final dance of hope, cohesion and human expression by the hand of the AI and the other performers. Humanity and technology meet and reveal a work of art that describes some of the contingencies surrounding the individual in modern society. Should we allow the digital embrace human interactions or should digitalised interaction become more human?
A genuine highlight is the delicate performance of dancer Jessica Lyall – such a bliss to behold. All nine performers – including Merete Hersvik, Kristin Bjerkestrand and Stefano Bizas – function as a united clockwork corpus where every single movement bears an element of high purpose – i.e. to deliver their joint art expression to the audience. The light design – by Raphael Frisenvænge Solholm – and especially the sound and video art – by Ryoji Ikeda – provides a genius framework for the performers to wield to the sound of the AI creature and music from Schubert and Puccini. The computerised tones and broad oceans of ancient texts on a giant screen engulf the performers and underline the epic, the poetic and the sublime. A hybrid being, a centaur, is born in front of the audience!
“Water pours from the Holy Stream. Let the river guide you.” part of the text on screen.
Humanity and technology meet and reveal a work of art that describes some of the contingencies surrounding the individual in modern society. Should we allow the digital embrace human interaction or should digitalised interaction become more human?
With this piece DANISH DANCE THEATRE also celebrates their own voyage from its beginnings in 1981 up to now forty years later. There is indeed reason to honour this journey, when they once again convey a production which mesmerises, surprises and inspires.
Dates: 22 October until 25 October 2021.
ABOUT PONTUS LIDBERG · in Danish
ABOUT PONTUS LIDBERG · in English
THE CENTAUR FROM GREEK MYTHOLOGY
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Mange tak.
Venligst, Martha Elias
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Thank you.
Kind regards, Martha Elias
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