Review: (re)use

Recycled choreography

Kenneth Kvarnström will present his old works in his last premiere (re)use. The stage space has been transformed into a dance gallery, where the audience is kept on their toes throughout the evening.

(re)use is the last part of Kvarnström’s trilogy, the first part of which YOUMAKEME was seen almost exactly a year ago. Kvarnström’s creative frenzy has been intense – three full-length works a year!

However, (re)use makes use of material from Kvarnström’s previous productions. All in all, the evening will feature excerpts from seven different works as well as some new material.

What is completely new, however, is the entity formed by the old works. The City Theatre’s studio Elsa has been transformed into a kind of gallery where the audience wanders around and changes places during the performance. The dance and the dancers are brought close, to the skin.
Deliciously, Kvarnström divides the space into two parts on a couple of occasions, leaving the audience to choose their side. You get the feeling that something is left unseen. Inventive! On the other hand, Kvarnström’s choice leaves a dark, sometimes almost comical horror scene at the end of the evening arouses wonder. A strange atmosphere remains in the memory, which does not do justice to the whole.

In its surprising nature, the viewing experience is interesting overall. The work keeps the viewers on their toes and does not get away easily. For a few, this is too much at the premiere and they turn on their heels.

For dancers, (re)use is challenging. There is an audience everywhere and the direction of the dance changes. At no point do they get out of sight of the viewers. However, the rock-solid five of the dance group copes with the challenge just fine.

(re)use demonstrates the sustainability of contemporary choreography. Contemporary dance can also be recycled and renewed, just like ballet classics. Regrettably, contemporary choreographies are often perceived as disposable items. However, even though (re)use is an interesting whole, I would prefer to watch old works as original versions.