Gisèle Grima reviews Tabula Rasa, which saw four of Malta’s foremost choreographers present separate works while working within the parameters of two dancers.

In recent years, the profile of contemporary dance in Malta has certainly seen many established and upcoming choreographers reaching new heights and exploring new grounds.

The Malta Arts Festival hosted an evening of contemporary dance that brought together the work of four choreographers, all of whom presented very distinct new works.

Tabula Rasa, which translates as ‘blank slate’, was the umbrella title given for this event.

The intention was to take choreography back to basics by challenging the creative minds of the choreographers who only had an empty space and two dancers each to work with.

Not much novelty in that concept but it did serve as the springboard for the artists’ work.

Despite the title lacking in its perceptive significance to the performance content, Tabula Rasa presented the audience with a fresh and simple approach to choreography that was stripped off any embellishments.

In hindsight, the absence of a programme note actually worked well with most of the dance numbers, as this did not necessarily precondition the viewers’ thoughts.

The programme did, however, include a short inspirational quote for each dance, almost like a teaser line, which may or may have not served as a guide.

It was the aesthetics of dance as discovered and explored through the artistic minds of the choreographers that lay at the core of this event.

The inclusion of live piano music, delivered by accomplished musician/composer Véronique Vella, gave each performance an edge and it was also interesting to hear some of Vella’s own works performed in a dance context.

The inclusion of live piano music gave each performance an edge

Trust Me, a work by choreo-grapher/dancer Diane Portelli, opened the evening with a male duo that thrived on intimate partner-work and agile yet graceful body contact. Dancers Dorian Mallia and Rafal Popiela exhibited shifts in stillness and balance, lines and dynamics through gentle lifts and defined slow extensions that saw their bodies intertwining most effectively.

They were challenged with a limited performance space set up on an elevated platform and this was an intrinsic observation in understanding the element of trust that permeated their on-stage relationship.

If Portelli’s work pursues and intensifies more of this tender, lithe and thought-provoking style in movement, we can only look forward to watching her next choreography.

In an outright manner to shun contemporary dance complexities, choreographer Dorian Mallia ventured into a new style that may have seemed dubious for this event.

Titled Cliché, Mallia’s number threw us into a fairy tale compilation which saw dancers Portelli and Lucía Piquero characterising and frolicking movement through mime.

Tabula RasaTabula Rasa

An arrangement of familiar Disney tunes rendered the work light-hearted and humorous.It did, however, lack substance in terms of choreographic and artistic potential.

Given its animated spirit and simplistic nature, I can see Cliché entertaining an arena of younger audiences.

As a choreographer, Piquero indulged in a highly expressive style that was nothing short of accessible. Her premier of Mademoiselle Claudel embraced feminism through the inspiring life and work of French artist Camille Claudel.

Piquero’s work is curious and engaging in that it challenges the extremes of movement, mind and space while still retaining touches of elegance.

Her work was delivered most eloquently by Mallia and Portelli who, together, make a very well matched and magnetic duo.

The sensual energy in their partnership allowed for emotion and expression that was articulated by slowly extending bodies, fluid swivels and supple floor-work, to mention a few.

Vella’s soothing minimalistic music also served as an ideal accompaniment to the reflective yet intense nature of the work.

Of a rather contrasting style within her repertoire, choreographer Francesca Tranter presented us with an innovative number called A Bark and a Meow, which placed dialogue at its centre. Based on an adaptation from the film When Harry met Sally, Tranter used chronological fragments of the film’s script which was pre-recorded by the protagonist-dancers themselves.

This dialogue then served as the catalyst for the choreography that revealed a distinctive style projecting dance as a concrete form of body language.

­­The result was rather stimulating and kept the audience engaged both visually and aurally. It is the intonation, enunciation and the phrase rhythms of the vocal dialogue that were clearly of interest to Tranter and this was convincingly and intimately interpreted by dancers Piquero and Moritz Zavan Stoeckle.

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