Dancing in all senses
Jo Ann Vassallo caught up with the main protagonists behind Circle of Senses
Circle of Senses reminds me somehow of Elton John's Circle of Life and the beautiful landscapes in Disney's Lion King. In fact, Yada's latest spectacle of dance and colour is not only a journey into various corners of the world via a three-dimensional backdrop of images of our planet but also a journey of senses explored through these various corners of the world. "I gave my choreographers - Vivienne (Vivienne Fielding Refalo), Daron (Daron Galea), Justin (Justin Roy Barker) and Theresa (Theresa Kerr) their own freedom of expression and strangely enough most of us took a corner of the world to bring all the senses to life," said Felix Busuttil, founder of the Yada dance company and one of the pioneers of jazz dance specialisation on the island.
It is through images of India, Arabia, East and West that these choreographers will touch our senses in Circle of Senses. However, to say they will touch our senses is the least as they will also bring us to see, hear, feel, smell (yes smell - a surprise awaits us at the Mediterranean Conference Centre) and taste each sense which culminates into the Queen of Senses - the sixth sense. Each of the main dancers will play the part of one of the senses and while being supported by a corps de ballet of 33 dancers, they will emerge and detach into their separate role after which they will fuse again.
Is there a plot? Well, yes, but once again it's all top secret. What kind of a plot can be born from characters such as Tara, the sense of sight (Fiona McKeown), Assaggia, the sense of taste (Kristina Schranz), Toucher, the sense of touch (Catherine Strawbridge), Reichen, the sense of smell (Mario Grech), Oir, the sense of hearing (Daron Galea) and Six, the sixth sense (Lynne Salomone Reynaud). The "story" was inspired one summer evening at Paradise Bay and this also justifies the way Felix describes this show.
"In a nutshell, the show is 75 minutes of beauty, 10 minutes of horror and five minutes of hope, all wrapped in magnificent costumes, great music and dancing, beautiful bodied girls and boys and above all, spettaklu made in Malta - inspired by Maltese shores, brought to life by Maltese professionals."
The music will be taken mainly from the Cirque du Soleil compositions and the show promises to be a feast of colour and movement worthy of such music. Initially it was meant to be named Circus of Senses but the producers thought better not to give the impression it is a different kind of show.
The dance style used is a versatile contemporary one, encompassing the dangerous but highly technical lifts well known to Yada; nothing too contemporary but nothing too classical either; a sound choreography built on a strong classical foundation.
Guest artiste Lynne Salomone Reynaud from The Bridgette Gauci Borda School of Ballet will interpret the Queen of Senses, the Sixth Sense, and, according to Felix, "She is the one that does not touch the ground. Or touches it minimally".
Daron Galea, artiste and choreographer will be interpreting the sense of smell Oir. "My experience at choreographing for this particular show was mainly a strong rapport with my dancers," Daron said. The choreography he prepared relates to the Arab world, using the burka as the protagonist in the dance. "The burka is the protagonist of the choreography - that which strips all of the senses except for sight and sound - but which also elevates the faithful to pleasing God and their religion. Visuals will relate to the mystery and awe elements in Arabia. My challenge was that of delivering a message that is not provoking or insulting, but lets the audience decide and judge for themselves through their own senses - I simply place in front of the audience a striking image and message".
The show, like most other Yada productions, is somewhat daring in that the message is harsh but thought-provoking. "There are parts of the show which relate to life in terms of love, sexuality and sensuality but nothing vulgar or obscene," explained Felix, "an appreciation of human form in an artistic and responsible manner. The show relates the horror that is destroying that same element that glorifies the senses," he added.
• Circle of Senses will be staged at the Mediterranean Conference Centre today, tomorrow and on February 23, 24 and 25. Bookings can be made by phone on 2559 5750/1 or by e-mail: bookings@mcc.com.mt
It is through images of India, Arabia, East and West that these choreographers will touch our senses in Circle of Senses. However, to say they will touch our senses is the least as they will also bring us to see, hear, feel, smell (yes smell - a surprise awaits us at the Mediterranean Conference Centre) and taste each sense which culminates into the Queen of Senses - the sixth sense. Each of the main dancers will play the part of one of the senses and while being supported by a corps de ballet of 33 dancers, they will emerge and detach into their separate role after which they will fuse again.
Is there a plot? Well, yes, but once again it's all top secret. What kind of a plot can be born from characters such as Tara, the sense of sight (Fiona McKeown), Assaggia, the sense of taste (Kristina Schranz), Toucher, the sense of touch (Catherine Strawbridge), Reichen, the sense of smell (Mario Grech), Oir, the sense of hearing (Daron Galea) and Six, the sixth sense (Lynne Salomone Reynaud). The "story" was inspired one summer evening at Paradise Bay and this also justifies the way Felix describes this show.
"In a nutshell, the show is 75 minutes of beauty, 10 minutes of horror and five minutes of hope, all wrapped in magnificent costumes, great music and dancing, beautiful bodied girls and boys and above all, spettaklu made in Malta - inspired by Maltese shores, brought to life by Maltese professionals."
The music will be taken mainly from the Cirque du Soleil compositions and the show promises to be a feast of colour and movement worthy of such music. Initially it was meant to be named Circus of Senses but the producers thought better not to give the impression it is a different kind of show.
The dance style used is a versatile contemporary one, encompassing the dangerous but highly technical lifts well known to Yada; nothing too contemporary but nothing too classical either; a sound choreography built on a strong classical foundation.
Guest artiste Lynne Salomone Reynaud from The Bridgette Gauci Borda School of Ballet will interpret the Queen of Senses, the Sixth Sense, and, according to Felix, "She is the one that does not touch the ground. Or touches it minimally".
Daron Galea, artiste and choreographer will be interpreting the sense of smell Oir. "My experience at choreographing for this particular show was mainly a strong rapport with my dancers," Daron said. The choreography he prepared relates to the Arab world, using the burka as the protagonist in the dance. "The burka is the protagonist of the choreography - that which strips all of the senses except for sight and sound - but which also elevates the faithful to pleasing God and their religion. Visuals will relate to the mystery and awe elements in Arabia. My challenge was that of delivering a message that is not provoking or insulting, but lets the audience decide and judge for themselves through their own senses - I simply place in front of the audience a striking image and message".
The show, like most other Yada productions, is somewhat daring in that the message is harsh but thought-provoking. "There are parts of the show which relate to life in terms of love, sexuality and sensuality but nothing vulgar or obscene," explained Felix, "an appreciation of human form in an artistic and responsible manner. The show relates the horror that is destroying that same element that glorifies the senses," he added.
• Circle of Senses will be staged at the Mediterranean Conference Centre today, tomorrow and on February 23, 24 and 25. Bookings can be made by phone on 2559 5750/1 or by e-mail: bookings@mcc.com.mt