Simulante Bande
VerTeDance / Archa Theatre
 
dance  

Two healthy dancers and two disabled dancers. Gentle touches, sharp blows and falls. Where is the border that we sometimes call "convention"? What is permitted? What is forbidden? What is kept silent?



In the dance performance SIMULANTE BANDE choreographer duo Veronika Knytlová and Tereza Ondrová (VerTe Dance) examine the novel possibilities of expression through movement of a healthy and a physically disabled person, the relativity of the term "disability" and the fragile cosmos of interpersonal relations.
Non-dancers Alena Jančíková and Zuzana Pitterová present their often invisible limits in unbelievable performances in which they are "assisted" by professional dancers Magdalena Čaprdová and Petr Opavský/Lukáš Homola. Original music by DVA.

 

“First of all we wanted to create a beautiful performance,” said Knytlová and Ondrová. “We examined the female body, its beauty and appeal, its dimensions and individual limits. Limited motion became for us an inspiration and driving force, with the dancer’s often unseen limitations recast into unbelievable performances.”

 

MEDIA:

The piece explores various situations in everyday human life, the problems that healthy and disabled people face, and while everything is treated with a certain humour and exaggeration, its content is nevertheless hard-hitting, precisely aimed and without a drop of cheap sentiment.
The result is a very unique, profound and intelligent piece, which entirely captivates the audience, not only in terms of its content, but aesthetically as well.
Johana Mücková, 8.6.2012, ct24.cz  


The VerTeDance contemporary dance company have created a daring piece at Archa called Simulante Bande. Choreographers Veronika Kotlíková and Tereza Ondrová continue their exploration of the abilities and limits of the female body. This unique quartet of performers is made up of professionals Helena Arenbergová and Petr Opavský and two disabled amateurs, Zuzana Pitterová and Alena Jančíková.
Sad, but never sentimental humour, disparages the false compassion of the healthy and the tendency to usurp the others. A must see!
Vladimír Just, 9.6.2012, Lidové noviny


Kknytlová and Ondrová have by means of dance and choreography touched on a whole range of taboos which usually paint over and simplify the way in which the healthy and the disabled perceive each other’s worlds. They have done this sensitively, tastefully and gently; but when they make an incision, it really hurts.
In terms of form the choreographers have succeeded in penetrating tight, but beautifully poetic and blurry contours. The dreamy canvas has a lot to do with the music of Dva, mix various sounds into their largely improvised (non)melodies, including crackling noises that make one think of old records. The performance thus has a discreet nostalgic imprint and feel.
Jana Návratová, 5. 5. 2012, Taneční zóna

Credits

Choreography: Veronika Knytlová, Tereza Ondrová (VerTeDance)
Dramaturgy: Lukáš Jiřička
Performing: Alena Jančíková, Helena Arenbergerová / from June 18,2015 Magdalena Čaprdová, Zuzana Pitterová, Petr Opavský/Lukáš Homola
Music: DVA
Light design: Pavel Kotlík
Set, costumes: Masha Černíková
VerTeDance Production: Karolína Hejnová, Markéta Faustová

Premiere: 29. 4. 2012

www.vertedance.org

With the support of the CULTURE programme of the European Union.