Shahar Binyamini: NEW EARTH / BOLERO X
New Earth, the latest work by Israeli choreographer Shahar Binyamini, explores how we use movement to create new realities and transform our relationship with the world. Before becoming a choreographer, Binyamini studied biology. His stage is therefore always a kind of laboratory where he explores the body and its inner workings. The stage design acts as an extension of the dancers, changing over the course of the piece and thus reinforcing the idea of constant renewal. With a layer of earth on the stage floor and the dancers’ seemingly bare skin, archaic images emerge. The choreography is enriched by a captivating musical collage that draws on influences from the Middle East and masterfully combines classical and electronic elements. Minimalist costumes emphasise the dancers’ movements and symbolise the connection between humanity and nature.
“The aesthetic fluidity of the excellent dancers … is a real treat.” (tanznetz)
Bolero X is a powerful and impressive reinterpretation of Maurice Ravel’s iconic Boléro, which premiered at the Paris Opera in 1928. Originally conceived as a ballet for the dancer Ida Rubinstein, Ravel’s masterpiece captivates with its constant repetition of the theme, which builds to a majestic crescendo. This musical structure forms the basis for Binyamini’s gripping version, an exploration of collective dynamics and seemingly boundless energy. Binyamini adds a profound, philosophical layer to the musical crescendo: the dancers’ movements symbolise the inexhaustible power of nature, as well as the cycles of creation, growth and decay. The piece is performed by House of Dance together with dancers from the Ballet Academy of the Munich University of Music and Performing Arts.