© LOT 'Zarathustra' reviews recent Compagnie Ariadone reviews more Marike van Aerde reviews Discuss this review (Open for at least 6 months)

However, if the programme would not have described the contents of the variations, these mythological roots and references would have been almost impossible to make out. In a series of 8 scenes, performed by Ikeda and six female dancers, we are meant to witness abstract visualisations of some of the more abstract as well as deeply emotional elements of mythology. There is the Greek myth of Ariadne, who was abandoned by the hero Theseus, a story which is closely paralleled by the Japanese legend of queen Ototachibana. The variations provide us with an interplay between the very quiet and nearly motionless (where the subtle Butoh movements seem almost like Tai Chi), and the very loud, the wild, beastly and erotic, a chaos of the senses. There are the bells of time that command terror, horror and crude comedy; there are shrieking meanads and witches; there is extasy, innoncence, and innocence lost. And then finally streams of white salt pour down from the vaults, and the dancers become serpents, circles, lotus. Zarathustra concludes in death as well as resurrection.
 

When from a strictly classical ballet background, the style and shape of a contemporary Butoh performance such as Zarathustra takes some getting used to. It involves a lot of darkly monotonous music and naked women writhing on stage in suffering extasy. If one opens up to it, however, one must realise that any style of dance is essentially about expression, whether intending to emphasize sheer visual beauty or emotional intensity. In this case, the emphasis lay clearly on the latter - and to great effect, I must add.

The most striking aspect of the performance remains the skill and talent of the dancers. Even when performing their wildest leaps and spasm-like writhing, they are clearly in control of each move and muscle. Each bended arm or knee is intentional, and the sheer physical difficulty of such a way of dance, especially when combined with such a level of expression, can only be admired.

I must admit that I do not particularly like Ariadone's style of dance, and I found myself more trying to enjoy it than actually enjoying it. That is, until the performance reached its conclusion. To my eyes, the last two scenes redeemed the entire performance, and gave us a strangely harmonious climax of rare and quiet beauty after a riot of chaos.