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nu: TEMPO experimental
dance company
'So
eu sei o que passei' and ‘Relaçoes’
by Thea
Nerissa Barnes
October 6, 2003 – Jacksons Lane Theatre,
London
nu: TEMPO experimental dance company performed
in London on 6th October 2003 at Jacksons Lane Theatre. The audience filled
with friends and well-wishers gave a very warm reception for choreographer
Everaldo Pereira and dancers who had worked over the last few months to
make an evening of enjoyable dance. Nice and tidy, the stage space was
dressed with blacks for legs and a floor to ceiling white cyc that doubled
as a projection screen.
The evening began with a stunning documentary video made by Fernando Barberá
revealing some of the more insightful moments in the creative process
between dancers and choreographer. Several of the dancers talked about
their interaction with Pereira to shape movement material, the discipline
he demanded and varied sources of imagery used by dancers to accomplish
Pereira’s directions. The first work, “So eu sei o que passei”, was a
good opener but not entirely representative of Pereira’s talent. The movement
of this dance drew on contemporary dance and ballet conventions, and shone
the technical skills of the dancers. This first work seemed of necessity
not of passion.
The second dance, “Relaçoes” was definitely born out of passion; Pereira
had something to say in this work. Here the dancers used verbal text and
their individual movement revealed an effort of Pereira to design specific
characters. “Relaçoes” as written in the program, is about relationships:
”the eternal search for happiness or madness. The madness of searching
for what everyone calls ‘love’”. This work had sections of solid composition;
a duet between Gerrard Martin and Ivan Martinez Moreno. That between
Kristine Lindmark Pederssen and Ivan Martinez Moreno was especially expressive,
and the male quartet with Gerrard Martin, Ivan Martinez Moreno, Peter
Baldwin, and Rain de Rye Barret was danced with conviction. These sections
were sound choreographic statements. “Relaçoes”, though, suffered from
missed opportunities to enforce these key relationships, distracting wandering
of dancers, the need for a more discriminating use of space and the two
chairs that at times obscured the choreography.
Some of Pereira’s choices for movement and music could also benefit from
more exploration. If the company is experimental and drawing on a fusion
between Latin American, African and Western dance styles, more evidence
of this kind of experimentation needs to be in evidence. A collection
of varied styles does not mean fusion. Also a collection of varied styles
does not necessarily coalesce into profound dance theatre unless they
merge into a single voice. The choreographer’s choices have to make this
merger serve a key vision; to reveal the crux of the work. In both works,
Pereira uses ballet and conventional contemporary movement with only slight
manipulation. Connecting steps to create a work of art requires passion
and science; a particular objectivity that knows when to discard or to
dig deeper. There is no question that Pereira can connect steps. There
is now a choice to be made by the young choreographer, Pereira; to make
enjoyable dance or exceptional dance theatre. There is a difference and
I wager Pereira will, in time, discover which deserves his time and passion.
Edited by Jeff.
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