Forgive the cliché, but 3s are good

Jun 14, 2013

The performance dance piece ‘3-i-1’ is a part of a larger concept, called ‘Thousand Threads’, an ongoing series at the Dansehallerne. The idea is that artistic director Bush Hartshorn carefully selects dance performances from around the world that are innovative and groundbreaking and creates a show exclusively for Danish dance enthusiasts.

The three pieces that feature in ‘3-i-1’ are certainly innovative and each distinct from the other. The first piece was a solo by the Danish dancer and choreographer Christine Borch, called ‘The Body That Comes’. The piece was an exploration of physical limits, in a way – an exploration of the physical pain that the human body can endure. The piece was strangely mesmerising, with Borch alone on the stage the whole time, with no music and no background. The absence of any other materials allowed for a complete focus on Borch at all times, which put her under a certain pressure, but she delivered a performance that was both captivating and thought-provoking.

The second performance was a duet, simply called ‘Duet For Two Dancers’, by the Swiss choreographer Tabea Martin. The piece, which starred Stefan Baier and Ryan Djojokarso who gave a fantastic performance, had the audience in stitches while contemplating some very deep questions about identity and the fear of losing oneself. The choreography was great: funny, beautiful and performed with perfect precision.

The last performance, and perhaps the oddest one, was ‘Allege’ by the French choreographer and dancer Clément Layes. The show seems more like a philosophical contemplation about habits and rhythms, rather than a classic dance piece. Nevertheless, it was intriguing and wonderfully performed with perfect comedic timing. The whole piece was a constant act of balance, both figuratively and literally, as Layes balanced a glass of water on his head the entire performance.

All in all, ‘3-i-1’ proved to be a great show and special acknowledgement must be given to Hartshorn for choosing these three pieces, for even though they were wildly different, they all explored the idea of limits in some form or another and complemented each other well.

3-i-1