BABEL (words)
2 years ago
EASTMAN AND THEATRE ROYALE DE LA MONNAIE (BELGIUM)
Choreographers: Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Damien
Jalet
Visual Concept and Design: Antony Gormley
Thursday 21 - Saturday 23 March, 2013
The Civic, Auckland
NEW ZEALAND PREMIERE
Immersive and multi-layered, and the recipient of
one of Britain's most sought after theatre awards, an Olivier,
Babel (words) explores the world of language and the languages of
the world. Beneath a towering set of aluminium cubes designed by
artist Antony Gormley, the 18 dancers, who speak 15 languages
between them, beat out fierce, fragile and deeply delicate rhythms
as they transform their bodies into a swirling maelstrom of
identity, ethnicity and culture.
The work is the final installation of a triptych
created by Cherkaoui. Collaborating with fellow Belgian Jalet and
revered British sculptor and artist Antony Gormley, this work
explores the familiar terrain of human difference - the illusions
that both divide and unite us, and the boundaries and borders that
shape the world.
Inspired by the biblical tale of the Tower of
Babel, Babel (words) challenges the notion that people are divided
by different languages, proposing instead that rhythm and music are
universal languages. Majestically executed with five musicians
playing live on stage, Babel (words) has a score that fuses Hindi
beats, Japanese drumming and melancholic, medieval flute and
harp.
Moroccan-Belgian Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui is one of
Europe's leading choreographers. He has made more than 15
fully-fledged choreographic pieces and picked up a slew of awards,
including the Fringe First Award in Edinburgh, the Special Prize at
the BITEF Festival in Belgrade, the Promising Choreographer prize
at the Nijinsky Awards in Monte Carlo, the Movimentos Award in
Germany and an Australian Helpmann Award. In 2008 Sadler's Wells
named him an Associate Artist and in 2009 the Alfred Toëpfer
Stiftung conferred its Kairos Prize to him in recognition of his
artistic philosophy and his quest for cultural dialogue. In 2008
and 2011 Cherkaoui was declared Choreographer of the Year by the
dance magazine Tanz.
In 2000, French-Belgian choreographer Damien Jalet
began an intense collaboration with Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui as his
artistic partner with the company Les Ballets C De La B. In 2002 he
created D'avant in collaboration with Cherkaoui, Luc Dunberry and
Juan Kruz Diaz de Garaio Esnaola. The work is still touring
worldwide with Sasha Waltz and Guests.
Antony Gormley's work has been exhibited
extensively at major international galleries and museums including
the Tate, Hayward, Whitechapel and Serpentine galleries in the UK;
the Museum of Modern Art in New York; the Los Angeles County Museum
of Art and the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin. Over the last
25 years, he has revitalised the human image in sculpture through a
radical investigation of the body as a place of memory and
transformation, using his own body as subject, tool and material.
He has created some of the most ambitious and iconic works of
contemporary British sculpture, including Field, Angel of the North
at Gateshead, Quantum Cloud on the Thames in London, and Another
Place, now permanently sited on Crosby Beach near Liverpool.
Babel (words) is an infinitely beautiful dance-theatre
masterpiece that was created by two of Europe's hottest dancer /
choreographers, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Damien Jalet, and has
swept the world with huge acclaim. After a sell-out season as the
must-see show in the 2012 Sydney Festival, in March 2013 Babel
(words) is coming to Auckland Arts Festival for its New
Zealand premiere.
Immersive and multi-layered, and the recipient of one of
Britain's most sought after theatre awards, an Olivier, Babel
(words) explores the world of language and the languages of
the world. Beneath a towering set of aluminium cubes designed by
artist Antony Gormley, the 18 dancers, who speak 15 languages
between them, beat out fierce, fragile and deeply delicate rhythms
as they transform their bodies into a swirling maelstrom of
identity, ethnicity and culture.
The work is the final installation of a triptych created by
Cherkaoui. Collaborating with fellow Belgian Jalet and revered
British sculptor and artist Antony Gormley, this work explores the
familiar terrain of human difference - the illusions that both
divide and unite us, and the boundaries and borders that shape the
world.
Inspired by the biblical tale of the Tower of Babel, Babel
(words) challenges the notion that people are divided by
different languages, proposing instead that rhythm and music are
universal languages. Majestically executed with five musicians
playing live on stage, Babel (words) has a score that
fuses Hindi beats, Japanese drumming and melancholic, medieval
flute and harp.
Moroccan-Belgian Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui is one of Europe's leading
choreographers. He has made more than 15 fully-fledged
choreographic pieces and picked up a slew of awards, including the
Fringe First Award in Edinburgh, the Special Prize at the BITEF
Festival in Belgrade, the Promising Choreographer prize at the
Nijinsky Awards in Monte Carlo, the Movimentos Award in Germany and
an Australian Helpmann Award. In 2008 Sadler's Wells named him an
Associate Artist and in 2009 the Alfred Toëpfer Stiftung conferred
its Kairos Prize to him in recognition of his artistic philosophy
and his quest for cultural dialogue. In 2008 and 2011 Cherkaoui was
declared Choreographer of the Year by the dance magazine Tanz.
In 2000, French-Belgian choreographer Damien Jalet began an
intense collaboration with Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui as his artistic
partner with the company Les Ballets C De La B. In 2002 he created
D'avant in collaboration with Cherkaoui, Luc Dunberry and
Juan Kruz Diaz de Garaio Esnaola. The work is still touring
worldwide with Sasha Waltz and Guests.
Antony Gormley's work has been exhibited extensively at major
international galleries and museums including the Tate, Hayward,
Whitechapel and Serpentine galleries in the UK; the Museum of
Modern Art in New York; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and
the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin. Over the last 25 years,
he has revitalised the human image in sculpture through a radical
investigation of the body as a place of memory and transformation,
using his own body as subject, tool and material. He has created
some of the most ambitious and iconic works of contemporary British
sculpture, including Field, Angel of the North at
Gateshead, Quantum Cloud on the Thames in London, and
Another Place, now permanently sited on Crosby Beach near
Liverpool.
www.aaf.co.nz
***** The most fiercely resonant dance theatre of the
decade. - The Guardian
The most innovative dance piece of the year… -
Tanznetz.de
An avalanche of surprising images, full of humour,
imagination and poetry... - Le Soir, Brussels
SEASON DETAILS
Show Babel (words)
Where The Civic, Auckland
When Thursday 21 - Saturday 23 March, 8pm
Duration 1hr 40min no interval
Post-show talk Thursday 21 March
Price Premium $87 / Friend/Conc/Group $81
A Res $77 / Friend/Conc/Group $72
B Res $67 / Friend/Conc/Group $62
C Res $45
Bookings Book at THE EDGE: www.buytickets.co.nz
/ 09 357 3355 / 0800 289 842
Group bookings groups@the-edge.co.nz / 09 357
3354
Information www.aaf.co.nz
Social Media Facebook
www.facebook.com/Aklfestival
Twitter @Aklfestival
Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sz7UY5DEVhQ
Media enquiries Siobhan Waterhouse, Publicist.
P: +64 (0)9 374 0317 | M: +64 (0) 22 126 4149 | E:
siobhan.waterhouse@aucklandfestival.co.nz
CREATIVE CREDITS
Choreographers: Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Damien
Jalet
Visual Concept and Design: Antony Gormley
Performers: Darryl E. Woods, Jon Filip
Fahlstrøm, Damien Fournier, Christine Leboutte, Kazutomi Kozuki,
Helder Seabra, Sandra Porcell Delgadillo
Musicians: Kazunari Abe, Patrizia Bovi, Mahabub
Khan, Sattar Khan, Gabriele Miracle
Assistant choreographer: Nienke Reehorst
Costume design: Alexandra Gilbert
Light design: Adam Carrée
Dramaturge: Lou Cope
Production: Eastman
With support from the Garrick Charitable Trust and the Flemish
authorities.