Tag Archives: Kenneth Flak

Residency Kenneth Flak and Külli Roosna

In November we will host Kenneth Flak and Külli Roosna among others from Korzo Productions. They will be developing: The Wild Places, a trilogy performance on humanity’s relationship to an environment in a deep crisis. They will be working with a Lithuanian dancer Petras Lisauskas, the Swedish light designer Thomas Dotzler and English composer Joseph Hyde. Embodying chaos, complexity and interdependent systems, using cutting-edge performance technologies. The first part ‘Mountain’ will be premiered in the CaDance festival 6-7 February 2015.

The works are inspired by Norwegian philosopher Arne Næss’ deep ecology as well as James Lovelock’s Gaia hypothesis, a theoretical framework that is investigated, questioned and translated into artistic praxis in three different performances: Mountain, City and Body. The pieces will premiere in the period 2015-2017,

According to Næss and Lovelock we can no longer consider the world a bottomless resource we can freely tap without consequences. The survival of all parts of an ecosystem depends on the overall health of the whole. Humanity has, due to its intelligence and capacity for planning and reflections, a special responsibility to take care of nature. Næss believed that this responsibility is not necessarily limiting, but will lead to individuals identifying themselves with the environment and all living beings. From a small, limited ego grows a large, inclusive self. According to Næss this leads to a richer life: If I identify with others and the nature surrounding me, I partake directly in the greatness of nature.
It seems, unfortunately, very difficult for humanity to take this responsibility, or even to agree that there is a problem. This suggests that the issue is very complex, with few clear-cut and simple answers. These complexities are taken into account when creating performance spaces that function as ecosystems in their own right, where light, sound, video, movement and audience interact and influence each other, giving the audience direct experiences of collaboration, competition, parasitism and all the other elements that make up our weird and wonderful world.

 

Wild Places : : MOUNTAIN
The first performance of the trilogy is Wild Places : : MOUNTAIN. During an extended rehearsal period in the Norwegian mountains, the three performers and the light designer immerse themselves in the highlands, using the experiences of a wild, often brutal nature to inform the work. The piece brings an echo of the mountain to the stage: an extreme no-mans land, a place of harsh beauty and desolation where a human being is completely at the mercy of the forces of nature. This is realized through a complex system of interdependent choreography, music, visuals and light. The interactive technology to make this possible is designed by composer Joseph Hyde in close collaboration with the choreographers and light designer Thomas Dotzler.
Supported by The Norwegian Arts Council, Fund for Sound and Image (Norway), Dutch Ministry of Culture and Education.
Produced by Korzo productions, co-produced by Sõltumatu Tantsu Ühendus.