IT'S THE END OF THE AMUSEMENT PHASE

Three women dance as if they have been transported into the midst of a never-ending marathon. Their bodies carry memories, history and exhaustion – and refuse to let them go. In IT'S THE END OF THE AMUSEMENT PHASE, choreographer Chara Kotsali explores what remains of the idea of progress, now that technological promises and social revolutions sound increasingly hollow.

Dance styles, iconic movements and references to pop culture and dance history – from Bob Fosse to Beyoncé – are mixed together into a edgy, overwhelming collage. On stage, celebration and exhaustion, optimism and cynicism collide. -|-Electric guitars, percussion and sharp beats drive the tempo. The performers march, celebrate, paint their bodies, destroy symbols of festivity: cheerleaders of an era that feels both absurd and ominous.

Kotsali’s gaze is focused, sharp and, at times, humorous. She shows how a society can celebrate whilst exhausting itself, and how history keeps repeating itself as long as no one dares to stop the music. The question the performance leaves in its wake is simple and urgent: how do we move forward?