TOT

Femke Gyselink / GRIP (Belgium) - Letters2dance

In 1926, the Czech dancer and choreographer Milca Mayerová choreographed the letters of the alphabet as a ballet. Her movements were a visual trigger for the letter designs of constructivist and surrealist artist, writer and critic Karel Teige - a key figure in the Czech avant-garde movement of the time. The photomontage that resulted from their artistic double act was incorporated in the book ABECEDA. The unique, elegant and sometimes witty 'dance Polaroids avant la lettre' are still regarded as highlights of modernism.

Almost one hundred years later, dancer and choreographer Femke Gyselinck, former artistic assistant of Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, translates the masterpiece to today's world. Following in the footsteps of the Czech duo, Gyselinck created her own dance alphabet, which will be published in book form in the autumn under the title Gymnastics of the Mind.

But of course, a dance alphabet on paper is also crying out for a live performance. Letters 2 Dance makes that translation from paper to stage. The letters, depicted in the book as photographed poses, are 'returned' to movement. They clump together into 'words' and search between the lines for life in all its mystery. With a wink to what makes our existence fascinating, funny, and sometimes so wonderfully banal. Because, hey, isn't it that funky YMCA arm dance by the American disco group Village People what we see here?

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