SKINNYFEST 3 Telesquat
| 14 Aug 2006
19 minutes into Telesquat's accompanying piece, 'From Popping to Pop or vice-versa', unrest in the audience is apparent. One man laughs uncomfortably, others are puzzled.
This, the first of two pieces by Brazilian company, Grupo de Rua de Nitero, causes much initial confusion. Unsure as to whether or not this is the main segment, the audience watch as the floor is filled with powerful movement from two expressionless dancers using minimalist lighting effects and a soundtrack of silence. The dancers leave, nervous chatter reverberates and no one quite knows how to react.
House lights fall in anticipation of Telesquat, the evening's primary section. An odd array of dancers enter and stand, staring into space with empty faces. Again, stripped of music, the dancers begin to move. A small screen, set up at the front of the dance floor, lights up to provide subtitles and an explanation for the movement. Laughter fills the venue and the audience look visibly relieved. Finally, a linear explanation of the piece is beginning to form. Then, another dancer appears, anonymous in the audience, talking frantically into a microphone. He provides contrasting explanations for the movement on the floor, fighting against the interpretation provided by the subtitles.
Telesquat is a term originating from the 1950s used to describe the effect too much television can have on us. Expressing this cleverly through the medium of conceptual dance, the piece crescendos into an overwhelming display of energy and technical effects, leaving the audience reeling from its multi-sensory bombardment of ideas.
Fundamentally Telesquat aims to question our perception of boundaries. Choreographer, Bruno Beltrao, is challenging human interpretation: what you see, what you think you see and what you are told you see.
This, the first of two pieces by Brazilian company, Grupo de Rua de Nitero, causes much initial confusion. Unsure as to whether or not this is the main segment, the audience watch as the floor is filled with powerful movement from two expressionless dancers using minimalist lighting effects and a soundtrack of silence. The dancers leave, nervous chatter reverberates and no one quite knows how to react.
House lights fall in anticipation of Telesquat, the evening's primary section. An odd array of dancers enter and stand, staring into space with empty faces. Again, stripped of music, the dancers begin to move. A small screen, set up at the front of the dance floor, lights up to provide subtitles and an explanation for the movement. Laughter fills the venue and the audience look visibly relieved. Finally, a linear explanation of the piece is beginning to form. Then, another dancer appears, anonymous in the audience, talking frantically into a microphone. He provides contrasting explanations for the movement on the floor, fighting against the interpretation provided by the subtitles.
Telesquat is a term originating from the 1950s used to describe the effect too much television can have on us. Expressing this cleverly through the medium of conceptual dance, the piece crescendos into an overwhelming display of energy and technical effects, leaving the audience reeling from its multi-sensory bombardment of ideas.
Fundamentally Telesquat aims to question our perception of boundaries. Choreographer, Bruno Beltrao, is challenging human interpretation: what you see, what you think you see and what you are told you see.
run ended. Grupo de Rua de Niterói also perform H2 at the Edinburgh Playhouse, Until 23 Aug, 20.00, from £6.50