Scala & Limited

The restrictions of the past year and a half suddenly made man’s eternal struggle with his limitations – a recurring theme in de Châtel’s choreographies – very timely and relevant. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has, however, also intensified a much greater social problem: the feeling of being existentially trapped – as a man or woman, as white or black, as a human being. This sense of entrapment is surfacing everywhere as a result of global threats such as polarisation, terror, climate change and the lack of perspective and opportunities for physical and spiritual growth. People’s individual creative space appears to be shrinking.

De Châtel articulates this sense of imprisonment in this double bill: in Scala, five women try to gain a foothold on a revolving spiral staircase; in Limited, a male dancer trapped in a glass cylinder explores his range of movement.

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Hungarian-born choreographer Krisztina deChâtel has made more than 70 choreographies and three dance films. De Châtel continues to captivate audiences with her unique, energetic style that is filled with mathematical movements. The successful reruns of Thron (2017/18) and (Im)Pulse (2019), as well as the acclaimed double bill Feminale (2021) show that her performances continue to resonate with new generations of viewers. Her performances revolve around contrasts and confrontations: vulnerable human bodies are faced with natural elements such as wind, earth and water or the imposing space of a church or a hangar. But there is also a struggle raging within the body: between passion and control, between individual freedom and the anonymity and safety of the collective.