Events
The Martha Graham Dance Company
250 lei
200 lei
100 lei
Private event hosted by the National Theatre of Bucharest. The organiser is exclusively liable for the quality and content of this event!
Martha Graham, the most famous American dance company, arrives at the JTI Encounters! Within the nineteenth edition of the JTI Encounters, the „Martha Graham Dance Company” shall present, on 19th September 2018, from 8:00 p.m., at the National Theatre of Bucharest, five choreographic moments: Dark Meadow, Ekstasis, Lamentation - Variations, Errand into the maze and Woodland.
Martha Graham is one of the greatest female artists of the 20th century.She founded her own company in 1926, in New York, had her own vision on dance, based on the quest for the human essence, and the Graham technique is still taught nowadays in choreography academies. Throughout a career of almost 70 years, she conceived over 180 works, collaborating and working with Mikhail Baryshnikov, Rudolf Nureyev, Maya Plisetskaya or Kirk Douglas, Liza Minnelli and Madonna. The „Martha Graham” Company perpetuated the innovative, unmistakable and bold style which revolutionized contemporary dance and continues to be a priceless source of inspiration for us and the new generations of choreographers and dancers.
The Dark Meadow suite is composed in 2016 from the elements of a longer work of Martha Graham, which premiered in 1946, in New York. Dark Meadow is inspired by the artist’s love for the rituals of the natives from south-western America and Mexico. Graham wrote about her own work: „Dark Meadow is a reconstitution of the mysteries accompanying the eternal adventure of the quest”, and the soundtrack composed by the Mexican composer Carlos Chavez for this choreographic moment essentially enhances this experiment.
Ecstasy, created in 1933, is considered the creation with number 37 of Martha Graham. Virginie Mécène, programme manager of the „Martha Graham” Company, has reimagined the Ekstasis version which shall be featured in Bucharest, based upon the documentation of the original solo, including the photographs.
Lamentation – Variations has been initially conceived in 2007, in order to commemorate the tragic events of September 11th. Although it was planned to perform only once, the reception by the audience was so enthusiastic, that Lament – Variations has been added to the permanent repertoire of the „Martha Graham Dance Company”. The work, conceived by Janet Eilber, artistic director of the company, in collaboration with a group of choreographers, commences with a film by Martha Graham at the beginning of the forties. The variations have been created under specific creative conditions, each choreographer being invited to create a spontaneous choreographic sketch as a reaction to Martha Graham’s film. Other conditions imposed for the achievement of the work included 10 hours of rehearsals. The score is signed by Gustav Mahler, George Crumb and Frédéric Chopin.
Errand into the Maze premiered in 1947, with Martha Graham herself as protagonist, who retells, from Ariadne’s perspective, the myth of Theseus, who crosses the labyrinth in order to confront the Minotaur. The current production of the Errand has been recreated after the original sceneries and costumes have been partially destroyed by the Sandy Hurricane. This version, devoid of the elements of the classical production, is intensely focused on choreography.
Woodland was created in 2016 by choreographer Pontus Lidberg. „Using the music by Irving Fine as a starting point, instead of concept, I have heard the structure, as well as a possible imagery: the woodland, the moonlight and wandering creatures”, Lidberg explains his endeavour.
We expect you to the nineteenth edition of the JTI Encounters!
Founded in the year 2000, by the famous ballet company Bejart Ballet Lausanne, The JTI Encounters have hosted renowned dancers, choreographers and ballet companies: Nacho Duato and Compania Nacional De Danza, Joaquin Cortes, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Tango Pasion, Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, Sylvie Guillem and Russell Maliphant, Gigi Căciuleanu and the Chile National Ballet, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, Vortice Dance Company, Maria Pagés and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Akram Khan Company, Mats Ek, Ana Laguna, Susanne Linke and Dominique Mercy, in 2017 „Noism”, the most important contemporary dance company of Japan, and in 2018 the „Martha Graham” dance company.
The event is organised this year, as well, by the Art Production Foundation, provided with the artistic counselling of Silvia Ghiață.
Translated by Simona Nichiteanu
