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photo: Staatsballett Berlin, Half Life © Jubal Battisti
LAB_WORKS
Choreographies from the company
OH CAPTAIN
Dance piece by Johnny McMillan
Music by Cosmin Nicolae
DIE NACHT
Choreographie by Arshak Ghalumyan
Music by Ezio Bosso, Dawn of Midi, Ludovico Einaudi
HALF LIFE
Dance piece by Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar
Music by Ori Lichtik
During the pandemic, the natural urge to deal with crises through dance and to artistically reflect on one’s own existence demanded an outlet and still does to this day: under the banner of LAB_WORKS, a variety of pieces, created by the Staatsballett Berlin ensemble, celebrated their premiere. The choreographers involved were provided with the necessary tools to work on new material or rework existing pieces; a continuing experiment. Last season, LAB_WORKS presented the fellows of the Mentorship Programme for whom the choreographies were created. This autumn, both Johnny McMillan’s OH CAPTAIN and Arshak Ghalumyan’s DIE NACHT return with dancers of the company and this season’s fellows participating.
The second half of the double bill comprises Sharon Eyal’s HALF LIFE, which has been part of the Staatsballett Berlin’s repertory since 2018. Dancers and audience alike are fascinated by the force emanating from this piece.
Sharon Eyal’s way of asking choreographically piercing questions and setting in motion uncomfortable situations forces her performers and audience to abandon usual patterns of thoughts and personal habits. Clearly influenced by the legendary Batsheva Dance Company, her creations challenge the performers, who are provoked physically and mentally to achieve individual expression. Eyal and Behar developed Half Life 2017 for the Royal Swedish Ballet in Stockholm. The piece’s attraction derives in part from the music that was created under the direction of Ori Lichtik hand-in-hand with the choreographic process.
