The Forsythe Company (Germany)
A work by William Forsythe
Legendary choreographer William Forsythe presents the Australian premiere of an ambitious masterwork – an unmissable event for anyone with an interest in the past, present or future of contemporary dance.
Commanding and enigmatic, I don’t believe in outer space is a brilliant inclusion in a stellar choreographic career – one that has deeply influenced the very trajectory of contemporary dance.
Renowned for his rigorous and inventive choreography, Forsythe returns to Melbourne Festival for the first time since 2001, when he stunned sold-out audiences with Eidos:Telos, a formidable exploration of memory and time. With I don’t believe in outer space he has created a whimsical and poignant investigation of life itself, in all its physicality, fragility and inevitable mortality.
Invoking the artefacts of popular culture, Forsythe pieces together a stunningly complex collage of images and voices, casting a playful yet sober eye on the nature of our existence.
Pulsing to a fractured live soundtrack, this surreal opus sees molecular interactions, social intrusions and sentiments from the disco era bleed together against the backdrop of an uncaring, unfathomable spacescape.
As the 17 dancers of the Forsythe Company move through the comedic, poetic choreography – taut, fluid and precise – they display a discipline and power the equal of any ensemble in the world today, giving a powerhouse performance worthy of this exquisite paean to the potential and beauty of movement.
Music Thom Willems
Sound Design Niels Lanz
Graphics Dietrich Krüger
Costumes Dorothee Merg
Light Tanja Rühl, Ulf Naumann
Dramaturgical assistance Freya Vass-Rhee
Dancers Yoko Ando, Cyril Baldy, Esther Balfe, Dana Caspersen, Katja Cheraneva, Brigel Gjoka, Amancio Gonzalez, Josh Johnson, David Kern, Fabrice Mazliah, Roberta Mosca, Tilman O`Donnell*, Jone San Martin, Yasutake Shimaji, Elizabeth Waterhouse*, Riley Watts, Ander Zabala
