Corpus Unika

[Syrene Hvid]

The RDB has just announced its new project under Corpus, Corpus Unika (you can read more about it under the calendar on their website, though the info is only in Danish so far). It seems to be similar to the pop-up performances they did some seasons go, except these aren't staged by the dancers themselves, but by various especially invited guests representing various arts. All performances are a one-night affair and the first is this Saturday, called "ARS MAGNETICA - a wordance". Special guest is poet Neill Cardinal and the featured dancers are principals Amy Watson, Susanne Grinder, Marcin Kupinski and soloist Alexandra Lo Sardo as well as corps dancer Tobias Praetorius. The goal seems to be an investigation of how poetry and dance can interact.

My girlfriend has already secured us tickets for the evening which makes me super happy, these are all my favourite dancers combined with my other favourite art form, poetry. It can only be good. Besides, I still remember fondly Gregory Dean's pop-up performance some seasons ago that was extremely interesting, so I'm hoping for something equally engaging this time. Will make sure to report on the experience.

Anyone else planning on going?

[Anne]

Dance and poetry - that sounds as an interesting combination, poetry being in itself a very musical thing.

I once had a really eye opening - or should I say ear opening - experience with Peter Schaufuss' Hamlet-ballet: Schaufuss had originally, in 1996, created the ballet in cooperation with the band "Sort Sol" ("Black sun", a Danish rock/punk band) who performed directly on the stage together with the dancers. Their music alternated with classical orchestral music by the weird, post-romantic composer Rued Langgaard (1893-1953). Quite an overwhelming experience. Some years later when Schaufuss revived the ballet, he couldn't any longer use Sort Sol and had to invent something else for the passages where Sort Sol had performed. To this use he had a brilliant idea: He played taped recordings of Hamlet's soliloquies from Shakespeare's drama, read aloud by Sir John Gielgud.

It worked beautyfully, an you realized how much music there can be in words.

[Syrene Hvid]

Due to sickness, CORPUS UNIKA has been cancelled this Saturday. The performance will appear later this year instead. We were given a full, automatic refund.