'SOON' by Medhi Walerski - Laura Volpe DM1

SOON
By Medhi Walerski

NDT1 in ‘Side A: Split into one’
Saturday, December 9th 2017
Stadsschouwburg Nijmegen

Soon by Medhi Walerski turns the fresh energy of four young dancers into pure and strong movements, fitting perfectly in the programme of Side A: Split into one. This NDT1’s performance provides, together with Side B: Adrift, a double view of the nature of the company for the season 2017-2018: while the latter is more theatrical and expressive, the former shows technical strength and power.

‘Tonight I will be forever following the colosseum moon into a certain room’

Nowadays our technological society is used to reach everything really soon, without having to wait that much time. Nevertheless, Medhi Walerski’s piece led the audience to think about the concept of time in a deeper and different way.

Since the beginning the audience is captured by a particular atmosphere thanks to a big copper bowl turning around the stage, like a big moon, for the whole duration of the piece, creating lots of possibilities to develop the concept of time through different aspects. Benjamin Clementine’s songs also help to set up a melancholic flow underlining the idea of the passing time.

All of these aspects become the background for the dancers, allowing them to take their own decisions regarding timing, rhythm and speed, spacing and reactions, also letting them live the present moment but at the same time reminding them the existence of the perpetuity. Therefore, they develop both a really soft and aware movement quality.

Tasting all the endless possibilities and opportunities they could live, just following the momentum dictated by the passing time, the dancers give the sensation that they choose with which elements and shades they color the present moment, turning every second into something magical and unique. Enjoying the moment, slowing down the speed and enlarging the movements as in the first duet or fighting against the time being faster than it with more nervous and quick movements as in the second one, they change the dynamic of the piece. Also the flow never stops, not even during solos of each dancer. In fact, because of the perpetuity of the time, the rest of the people keep on moving, turning the choreography into a quartet and creating a spontaneous harmony.

You would not be amazed by costumes or lights or how the space is structured because they are really basic: dancers wear anonymous blue suits, during the changes of lights dancers do not necessarily react to them and the object removes the concept of having a specific front. So if you are looking for a intriguing choreography and the use of eye-contact you would maybe enjoy more the previous piece of the evening (Proof by Edward Clug). On the other hand, this piece would really make you travel into another dimension, capturing you for the whole duration of the dance.

The tournée for this piece has already ended, but if you are interested in this various and professional company you can have a look at its website here: https://www.ndt.nl/home.html

Choreography, Set and costumes Medhi Walerski
Assistant to the choreographer Katherine Cowie
Dancers Alice Godfrey, Madoka Kariya, Gregory Lau, Paxton Ricketts
Dramaturgy Pierre Pontvianne
Light Lisette van der Lindenin cooperation with Medhi Walerski, Pierre Pontvianne
Music Benjamin Clementine