”I am Alex” & ”Traitor”|Moveo Dance Company (6 October) -Malta

I am Alex

An Alex, adjective: slang term for believing you are the main character in everybody's story. ex: "You are such an Alex for believing that Jessica and Bryan broke up because of you!" Am I an Alex? No, no, I'm not. It is not true. Or is it? Aren't we all a bit anyway?

"I am Alex" is a piece choreographed by Dorian Mallia, artistic director of Moveo Dance Company, which aims to explore the concept of ego and self-centeredness in a world led by the culture of me, myself and I. The three characters are all "Alexes", with the piece focusing on a single character.We witness denial, frustration and his eventualrealisation that we are all an Alex to some varying degree.

Choreographer/ Artistic Director: Dorian Mallia

Dancers : Gabriele Farinacci, Cindelle Bouard, Charlotte Carpentier

Music: Albert Garzia

Costume design: Dorian Mallia

Costume making: Doris Mallia

Traitor

The Dictator, The Pleaser, The Gossiper.

Should you not identify with the above, de facto you are, The Traitor.

“An alien in my own home. I feel trapped in a cage. I am a minority amongst a very small minority. There is nothing left for me here, I feel like Venom infecting my own society, the only form of salvation is for me to leave. It helps reassure me that in the big world I am absolutely normal". Venom - a performance depicting elements of ailment in one's identity. Once you feel you can no longer assimilate with your culture, your community, your home, then your emotions and mental state is altered. The piece is drawn into the psyche of the protagonist, brought up in a closed minded community, which brings about feelings of entrapment, for him who fights to be free. Presented in an abstract manner, we follow the narrative of this community where people speculate, dictate and intimidate. With the pressures getting too strong, leaving seems to be the only form of escape.

Choreographically, dancers experience what it is like to live in such a small space with a metal structure surrounding the dancers limiting their movement and creating physical restrictions. This not only represents the insular mentality found in such communities, but the actual physical restrictions of living in a somewhat isolated and limited place. These themes are universally relevant in a current world where, in certain areas, unfortunately, freedom and tolerance seem to be threatened by fear, racism etc. Venom explores these elements through bodily reactions of the protagonist’s perception, leading to a loss of identity, triggering feelings and changes which, as they occur, become the overbearing emotions, turning him into "THE TRAITOR" in the eyes of his community. The audience will feel drawn into this community and have the opportunity to choose for them- selves which of the 4 characters they assimilate to. Each member of the audience can become The Dictator -The Pleaser- The Gossiper – or The Traitor.

Choreographer: Director/ Diane Portelli

Dancers : Gabriele Farinacci, Cindelle Bouard, Charlotte Carpentier, Victor Hermundstad, Irene Nocella

Music: Mario Sammut

Costume design: Ritianne Zammit

Text: Carmel Scicluna

---

Through this cultural approach, the Unfold Motion Association aims to develop new audiences for the field of contemporary dance and to lay the foundations for the accessibility of a constant cultural offer for the consumer of contemporary dance performances and events related to it such as: Dance films, workshops, etc.

The contemporary dance season is the first such initiative of choreographers working in Timisoara, under the umbrella of the Unfold Motion Association and was born out of the need to have a context for watching dance performances, as is possible in the world of theater.  In a cultural context in which contemporary dance does not enjoy sustained support at national level, the visibility of dance performances is affected by the lack of contexts of presentation to the public. And DINAM is trying to be one of those contexts.

The curatorial vision of the season is eclectic because we believe that the evolution of different aesthetics of contemporary dance (both nationally and internationally) enriches through diversity, an event such as the season.  We want the audience to get in touch with as many artistic currents and choreographic visions as possible so that they can form and develop a critical sense and preferences for certain genres.

The third edition of the DINAM season took place between 6 October and 25 November 2023 and included: 10 contemporary dance performances, Q&A sessions with invited artists, workshops and interviews “meet the artist/sharing practices”, 3 dance film screenings, an audio-video performance installation and a series of sound mixing workshops for the audience.

Partners: Mihai Eminescu National Theatre Timisoara, Victoria Cinema, Faculty of Arts and Design Timisoara, Ion Vidu Art High School, German Cultural Center, French Institute Timisoara, Faber, Iulius Town, Delazero Association, Contemporary Creative Dreamers, At two Owls (n.r. “la Două Bufnițe”) Library, Social assistance Department of Timisoara, iabilet.ro.

Project implemented with the support of the Timis County Youth Foundation and the National Dance Center Bucharest.

Media partners: TVR Timisoara, West City Radio, best of Timisoara, Carturesti bookshops;

Producer: Unfold Motion

DINAM season is part of the Cultural Program Timisoara 2023-European Capital of Culture and is co-financed by the City of Timisoara through the Project Center.

Credit foto: Lorena Dumitrașcu



Next page ->