Umwelt

A raging storm

Nine performers appear and disappear through openings in a wall of mirrors. Each appearance is a small scene based on situations from everyday life. A strong wind blows across the stage and makes the mirrors shake to the resonant sound of electric guitars. The fanciful reflections of the dancers in the vibrating mirrors depict and transform the human life that passes by like a raging storm.

In a hypnotic succession of scenes, the choreographer Maguy Marin portrays human existence as perpetual motion, the most striking element being the turbulent relationship between man and his environment. The title Umwelt (surroundings, environment) gives an indication of the underlying intention of the piece. The carelessness with which man leads his life creates a growing mountain of waste at the front of the stage. Human traces that suggest an imminent disaster. Life, which in Marin’s work continues to be played out in the background, may well be seriously upset in the near future.

• The French choreographer Maguy Marin (1951) is one of the pivotal figures of contemporary dance. Umwelt, a 2004 production, was awarded the Prix special du jury du Syndicat de la critique in 2006 and a Bessie Award in 2008.

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