recent Flanders reviews

A whole evening decidated to the choreographical work of Danny Rosseel, the house-choreographer and assistant-artistic director of RBoF. Rosseel, a former soloist of the company, started his choreographic career during the 8-ties, mainly at the musical-department of the same group. I'm not a great fan of his creations and find his music-choices sometimes a bit bizarre... I know about a lot of 'nice to look at'-pieces but not one who send me away with a long lasting feeling of delight. Despite this, thought I couldn't miss out on one of the very few occasions RBoF is visiting Ghent - the town-next-to-my-village. And... afterall it offered me the possibility to view the renovated old-cinema house ! Unfortunately there is little to tell about the venue, rescued to house some of the musical-productions of a private organisation. Glad they 'saved' the house and have integrated a lovely bar (!), but a low-budget renovation can not be an excuse to use a wrong type of organization chart...and what a pity they didn't work at the rake of the auditorium.

For the few who know this company : at the beginning of the 2001-2002-season Ninon Neyt and Giuseppe Nocera have been promoted to principal. So, together with Aysem Sunal and Priit Kripson, we are now having the luxury of 4 principals ! (which company can double his number of principals in one year ? ) Oh, and they launched a new website recently : http://www.flandersballet.be with not much info at the moment I'm afraid.

"SILENT NIGHT, STILL WE DREAM"
Choreography : Danny Rosseel
Music : Alfred Schnittke and Arvo Pärt
Light : Jaak Van de Velde
Dancers : Ninon Neyt, Wim Vanlessen.

Oh dear, as soon as the music started I was afraid of heading off to my next migraine The popular 'Silent night' in a dissonant version, with Ninon Neyt-in white satin nightie- wobbling on stiletto-pumps...I absolutely needed a white wine ! One black, one white chair and Ninon surrounded by the darkness of the stage...and 19 minutes to go... Ninon's solo, restricted by the pumps, looks helpless in the broken movements...and the music makes you feel uncomfortable.. With the appearance of Wim Vanlessen (in black trousers and white t-shirt), somewhere out of the skye, the story takes a more sensual route and the woman is gaining confidence, dancing barefoot. After the meaningfull duet, Ninon has liberated herself and abandonded her partner ..... only the pumps are left...

"SOLID GROUND"
Choreography : Danny Rosseel
Music : Arvo Pârt (Silentium, 2nd part of Tabula Rasa)
Costumes : Danny Rosseel & Gerd Mariën
Lightdesign : Jaak Van de Velde
Dancers : Aysem Sunal, Olga Voloboueva, Aki Saito, Barbora Hruska, Karina Jäger von Stülpnagel, Agalie Vandamme, Joëlle Auspert, Miho Akahane Priit Kripson, Artur Lill, Sanny Kleef

Not only the contrast with the preceeding piece made me love this one, but also the terrific minimalism of lighting, the flowing costumes and the great 'dance-images'. 'Solid ground' is the only certainty one has in life says Rosseel ...and that's the only point he makes about his creation all other suppositions are up to the public. A square, lighted path is the catwalk of life, guiding a constant stream of dancers. Stepping out of the path creates wonderful encounters : a mix of unstable relationships flows into fluent pdd, intimate duets and passionate trios. The light 'dresses-on leggings' in grey-green, blue and black were a superb underlining of the flowing moves and the lightbeams were sculpting the environment. Dancers in search of pure movement and minimalism...a pearl. This ballet made clear again, what different kind of dancer-types the company has- but nevertheless achieved a balanced group.

"SLIGHTLY SINFUL"
Choreography : Danny Rosseel
Music : Thomas Oboe Lee
Scenery : D.Rosseel
Costumes : D.Rosseel & Ria Van Looveren
Lightdesign : Jaak Van de Velde
Dancers : Ninon Neyt Giuseppe Nocera, Alain Honorez, Genly Kolesnik

A vague light-square on the backwall creates the illusion of an interior. A big, sturdy, wooden table is -apart from a small stool- the only element on stage. "Secret dreams, hidden desires, sinful thoughts will always be part of us" we read in the programme. Indeed, the title reveals a lot about this piece : the boundaries between reality and fiction are fading and in this twilight zone switching partners is not uncommon. The surrounding world is reduced to the table, a kind of refuge for Ninon (in a marvelous red dress) tangled-up in a violent affaire with a lover. A gay-couple appears on stage, the stirring music, interlaced with tango-reminders, sets the right atmosphere. The focuspoint of the men (in city trousers, white shirts with rolled-up sleeves, one with black tie, one in dressed suit) is the table with Ninon on top. Around and on the table -which becomes a real 'partner' in this dance- relations are changing on a lighthearted manner...is this 'simply life' ...or just a fantasy ? The piece is full with little details and wonderful pictures, smooth dancing, gliding and twisting around the table. A perfect rehearsed piece....simple and powerful. Original create for tv-broadcasting it stunned me with its power on stage.

"DRIFTING INWARDS"
Choreography : D.Rosseel
Music : Kaija Saariaho
Scenery & costumes : D.Rosseel
Lightdesign : Jaak Van de Velde
Dancers : Aki Saito Giuseppe Nocera, Wim Vanlessen Alain Honorez, Sanny Kleef Miho Akahane, Barbara Regoci, Joëlle Auspert, Karina Jäger von Stülpnagel, Tom Colin, Alexander Ostrega, Kevin Durwael, Jesse Jacobs.

I thought, some of the photographs in the programme were simply 'staged'-ones with some remeniscence to the choreography. Being the only new creation this evening, I was looking forward to it.....and it surprised in every way ! The introduction with 8 men in swimoutfit on a small front-stage was rather bizarre, though the atmosphere was already set by the intrigueing score. The black backdrop opens on a stunning view of Aki Saito 'hanging' 4m.above the floor, surrounded by a massive amount of white silk (or, maybe more likely a kind of parachute-fabric ?). The electro-acoustic music projects your thoughts towards a waterfall .. some lighteffects....and the scenery is created. The magic world of a waternymph (? some thought her to be a butterfly or an insect !) in a red tight-bodysuit, carried by a tumultuous golden waterfall. Every little movement is multiplied in abundant movements of the silk... I suppose 'strong arms' were carrying her 'downstairs' ? She takes the silk straight foward to the edge of the stage and makes a huge gletsjer (?) with blue light.......The music creates a wonderful oriental feeling...sounds of splashing water and even some birds singing in the distance. Aki reigns over her kingdom : she attract men, has brief, sentimental, impossible relationships but liberate herself every time again....the men are swallowed by the waterfall. On the tunes of churchbells the magic game is over and she returns to her initial-position. An impressive piece I certainly wants to see again...was a bit too overwhelmed by the scenery and lost too much of the dance !