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The esteemed Belgian choreographer, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, is renowned for her austere and precise works that focus on musicality. However, in EXIT ABOVE — after the tempest, a standout performance at this year’s Avignon Festival, she surprises with an infusion of exuberance, resulting in a thrilling experience.
Perhaps it’s the influence of the new generation of dancers she collaborated with. The cast of 13 young, talented individuals, led by the curly-haired Solal Mariotte, sets the stage alight with their remarkable performances. Mariotte’s solo incorporates breathtaking spins and gravity-defying dives to the floor.
While William Shakespeare’s The Tempest is only subtly referenced throughout the performance, Mariotte takes on the role of an Ariel-like figure, brilliantly supported by Nina Godderis as the commanding Prospero. Both seamlessly transition from De Keersmaeker’s signature walks and symmetrical lines to more fluid movements. When the group unites, they each maintain their individual expression within De Keersmaeker’s swirling patterns.
The score, composed by Meskerem Mees with variations inspired by blues artist Robert Johnson, features Mees’ crystalline folk voice, interjected with energetic scenes from the dancers. Breakdancing, death drops, and even twerking are skillfully incorporated, adding surprising elements to De Keersmaeker’s minimalist universe.
EXIT ABOVE — after the tempest adds to De Keersmaeker’s list of successes at the Avignon Festival, which has been a fruitful platform for her throughout the years. The festival’s new director, Tiago Rodrigues, has committed to reviving one influential production from the city’s history each year, and De Keersmaeker’s En Atendant, originally created in 2010, was the first choice.
En Atendant was designed to unfold at dusk in the open-air Célestins cloister, relying solely on natural lighting. The dancers respond with sobriety and simplicity to intricate 14th-century polyphonic music as the sun sets on the stage. During the opening night, a pigeon unexpectedly made its debut, bobbing its head to the rhythm of the flute solo. This spontaneous moment blended perfectly with the production’s immersive surroundings, which culminate almost mysteriously as the last dancer fades into darkness. In the current economic climate, reviving performances can be challenging, as De Keersmaeker discussed during a conference earlier that day. Therefore, it is commendable that the Avignon Festival embraces revivals, allowing a new generation to appreciate the beauty of En Atendant.
★★★★★
The festival continues until July 25, festival-avignon.com
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