D NO BODY installed 

“This will be my monument This will be a beacon when I'm gone”

That’s how character Romeo Heart starts his journey with a popstar Robyn’s song. He is an installation - the monument in the middle of the stage on the little turning platform, with a big jacket and sunglasses underneath the massive helmet. Sunglasses also laying in a circles around Romeo, facing him and being the eyes of the audience, as well as the real audience facing him hiding from the strong strobe light with sunglasses. Loud pop music and a powerful visual image announces the start of a new Romeo Heart’s journey.

Choreographer Dario Tortorelli have created an alter ego character Romeo Heart, which he explores and deepens in his D NO BODY series of solos. Dario Tortorelli in his works mainly focuses on the play with identity. D NO BODY installed is a combined two chapters from the series, where performer Adi Amit embodies and takes Romeo Heart character to another exploration of gender and identity and this time experienced through a different body.

The primal installation of a piece is like a preparation for the space journey, a spaceship taking off before shooted into the thermosphere. You see Romeo Heart slowly transforming, taking of the massive clothes and confusing the audience with these changes: it’s a man. Is this a women? It’s women. No. Eventually Romeo puts on the suit and takes audience to see the concert of the superstar he became, but audience see the performance from the backstage (performer dancing back to the audience), which gives me a feeling of being a part of it, finding my own alter ego or empathizing with Romeo Heart. Just in the very end character reveals his/hers true identity and shows his/her face.

D NO BODY installed remembers you of your “secret dream identity”, which I believe, almost everyone has, lets you think how we like to play with identities and why sometimes we have a need to play with that? This piece is for the audience who enjoys to see visually powerful performance/installation, grasp some questions  and let themselves involve in a visual journey.

Concept choreography and installation: Dario Tortorelli/

Performance: Adi Amit/

Light Design: Remko Van Wely/

Music: Royksoop, David Bowie/

Date: October 8, 2016 (Nederlandse Dansdagen)

Gabrielle Emily Aidulis