DANSE MACABRE - Aaltomlab.taik.fi/danse/Danse Macabre_OUTLINE 01.pdfdance away from the dEVIL,...

� DANSE MACABRE – PERPETUAL MOTIONVERSION 0�, MAY 2008

text: ©Maureen Thomas 2008

DANSE MACABRE– PERPETUAL MOTION

VIdEO-bASEd INTEgRATEd MEdIA MUSIc/dANcE/dRAMA PERfORMANcE

OUTLINE

WRITER (Original Spatially Organised Concept, Book and Lyrics)

Maureen Thomas

DIRECTOR (Video and Performance Direction and Interactive Staging)

Mika Tuomola

SCENOGRAPHER (Spatial Environment and Set Design)

Jaakko Pesonen

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DANSE MACABRE – PERPETUAL MOTION 2 OUTLINE, MAY 2008text: ©Maureen Thomas 2008

CONTENTS

Story Synopsis and Cast 3

Ivan’s Dance - Drama Story – Danse Macabre Ballet 5

Characters/Backstory Ivan 7 Elena 8 Tom 9 Stella �0 Koit �2

Description of Performance/Dramatic Experience �3 Background �3 Moving Image Media �3 Music and Lyrics �4 Choreography �4 Direction and Scenography �4

3 DANSE MACABRE – PERPETUAL MOTIONVERSION 0�, MAY 2008


STORY SYNOPSIS

TURKU-TALLINN, 2011

IVAN KAREZHKIN (b. �937) (Russian émigré choreographer, one time dancer) stages, in Turku and Tallinn, the European capitals of culture, in 20��, a revival of the first dance-drama that made him famous: the 2-person work, danse Macabre.

IVAN sees this as his ‘swan song’ – his final farewell performance before retiring. IVAN selects young dancers TOM (b. �989, from the UK) and ELENA (b.�988, from the US) to recreate the roles originally danced by IVAN (b. �937, from Arkhangelsk, Russia) and his partner, STELLA (b. �940, from Ivalo, N. finland), in Helsinki, in �96�.

At the original Premiere of Danse Macabre, IVAN, dancing the role of ‘the devil’, fell - and seriously dam-aged his knee. Danse Macabre has never been performed since; IVAN couldnot face re-staging it. In fact, IVAN never danced again after injuring himself, on the original first night.

Now, in 20��, aged 74, IVAN is a world-renowned choreographer and teacher. Aware that his retire-ment from the world of dance is imminent, IVAN, at last, faces his ghosts. He stages this new Turku-Tallinn cultural capital celebration performance of Danse Macabre – giving it, and himself, a second chance.

Meanwhile, STELLA, now 7�, stages her ‘crystal cabaret’, also in Turku and Tallinn, triggering memories of her life, including the traumatic events surrounding the original premiere of Danse Macabre.

It is hard not to transform, or try to transform, someone you love into the image you project of them - whatever internal mirror of your own that image may emanate from. It is equally hard, when you feel vulnerable, not to shelter behind a more confident mask.


CAST

IVAN (74) choreographer and ex-dancer

ELENA (23) dancer and singer, also (masked) plays YOUNg STELLA in memory sequences and danse Macabre ballet

TOM (22) dancer, also (masked) plays YOUNg IVAN in memory sequences and danse Macabre ballet

STELLA (7�) cabaret performer, Music/dance theatre director and performer

KOIT (aged 3�, in �96�) dancer and choreographer


“It is hard not to transform, or try to transform, some-one you love into the image you project of them

– whatever internal mirror of your own that image may emanate from. It is equally hard, when you feel vulner-

able, not to shelter behind a more confident mask.”



IVAN’s DANCE - DRAMA STORY – DANSE MACABRE BALLET

In IVAN’s dance drama, Danse Macabre, the dANcER (ELENA/STELLA) comes upon the dEVIL (TOM/IVAN) - handsome and agile, who is dancing a magnificent solo. The dANcER, attracted by his good looks and overwhelmed by his extraordinary performance, comes closer and closer, to watch in fascination. The dEVIL, never stopping his graceful and energetic perform-ance, beckons to the enchanted dANcER - and begins to draw her into the dance, showing her how to follow his steps.

The dANcER, attracted both by the dEVIL’s wonderful choreography, and by his charisma, eagerly starts to learn his steps – but she finds it hard: almost as though something inside her resists. Pulled in two directions - towards the dEVIL and away from him - as though by some invisible hand, the dANcER gradually picks up the dEVIL’s dance. Over and over again, the dANcER is drawn to the dEVIL, and learns a few steps, then pulls herself away, resisting his charms. The more the dANcER resists, the more powerful and charismatic the dEVIL’s per-formance becomes - he grows increasingly demanding, pushing her to learn his strange and wonderful steps.

but the dANcER still seems to be torn, resisting the dEVIL with some part of her. The dEVIL - never interrupting the flow of his dance - finally shows the dANcER that he cannot pull off his dancing shoes: he cannot stop dancing… until someone else dances his steps with him. If he cannot teach all his steps to another person, he is condemned to go on dancing, alone, for the rest of his days. but if someone else will learn his steps, he will be released - he will be able to dance freely, from choice, not compulsion.

The dANcER, moved by pity for this handsome young stranger, as well as by her own burning desire to learn the entrancing steps, picks up more and more of the dEVIL’s dance. The two twirl and leap joyfully, the pace growing ever more thrilling, until at last the dANcER begins to tire, and seeks to rest. but the dEVIL will not let her give up. He shows her more and more excit-ing movements, and so she dances on, exhilarated by her own growing skill - until at last she collapses on the ground, exhausted. In a moment of uncontrolled anger at her resistance, the dEVIL lets slip the mask of the handsome stranger. The face behind it is not innocent or young, but the face of a much more calculating man – though one who is still seductive. The dANcER, part-dismayed, part-curious, backs away. but now the dEVIL, desperate to continue transferring the curse to the unsuspecting dANcER, reveals to her that he was in disguise as a young man because he did not want to frighten her - he is in fact ancient, though eternally vigorous. And since he is immortal, unless the dANcER helps him by learning the steps of the dance, he will never be rid of his dancing-shoes, but must caper on without respite forever and ever.

Taking pity - and still drawn by the dEVIL’s seductive charisma - the dANcER struggles for new energy, and once again sets out to learn more of the dance. She grows increasingly exhilarated by her success, and also increasingly enthralled by the rhythms of the dance itself, which she performs with more and more elegance and confidence, spurred on by the admiration of the dEVIL.

but yet again the dEVIL pushes the pace too hard, and drives the dANcER beyond her strength. As he leaps high through the air in his frustration, the dEVIL’s second mask falls away from his face - revealing yet another persona. (At the original premiere, it was during this dramatic leap that IVAN fell, and damaged his knee beyond repair.)

The face the dEVIL reveals this time is a mask of pure, eternal, ecstatic passion – and at the same time, utter self-absorption. but the dANcER is by now entrapped in the dazzling rhythms of the dance. can she see that she is dancing with the dEVIL himself? The steps she has already learnt compel the dANcER on, entrancing her with the power they release in her. She begins to dance away from the dEVIL, confident in her own soaring steps.


The dEVIL, playing on the dANcER’s sympathy, and on her growing desire to master the difficult and dazzling move-ments, works tirelessly to trap her into finishing what she has begun. finally, the dANcER, worn out, her feet sore, leans on the dEVIL - hopping on one leg to pull off one of her slippers, and massage her aching toes. The dEVIL tenderly helps her to replace the shoe, and she raises her other foot, offering him the shoe to pull off. The dEVIL tries - but he cannot remove the slipper. Alarmed, the dANcER tries herself – but the shoe will not budge. The dEVIL performs a yet more spectacular leap, distracting the dANcER’s attention - forgetting her shoe, the dANcER, mes-merised, cannot stop herself from copying the dEVIL. Yet she does still try to pull back - to resist the next set of steps. clearly, the dANcER is desperately torn, between learning the dance, and escaping from the dEVIL’s power. The choice is hard: while the dance possesses her, the dANcER is a creature of fire and air. So the dANcER and the dEVIL whirl on, in an exuberant and passionate pas-de-deux - until the dANcER once more falls, completely exhausted.

but once again, the dEVIL urges the dANcER on. He argues that she is mortal: she can pass on the steps to another if ever she grows tired of them, and if not, she can dance in delight until she dies. but the dEVIL himself is immortal, and if the dANcER does not help him, he is condemned to dance for the rest of eternity whether he likes it or not.

The dANcER, even though she now understands that she may die before she passes on the steps, slowly rises to her feet, and starts to work once more with the dEVIL on the wonderful steps. All the time, she struggles to learn only just enough to satisfy her growing craving for more, to keep open the possibility of escaping before she learns the entire dance, and has to take over the dEVIL’s curse.

So the dEVIL and the dANcER circle each other - moving close together in harmony as the dEVIL pulls the dANcER into the circle of his charm; and then struggling apart, as the dANcER resists his lure, and tries to escape. back and forth they sway and twine and leap. Who will win?

In IVAN’s original dance drama, DANSE MACABRE, the curtain falls with the dEVIL still trying to tempt the dANcER, the dANcER still trying to resist the dEVIL, locked in perpetuum mobile: a never-ending story of perpetual motion.


IVAN: “More that all this is about knowing what it is you want to do, but not knowing what the consequences will be – or maybe it is about playing for the very highest stakes, and pretending that it does not matter to you in the least.”



CHARACTERS/BACKSTORY

IVAN (74, b. Arkhangelsk, USSR, �937, n. fedor Ubov), a celebrated and venerated, world-famous cho-reographer, sure that DANSE MACABRE is the strongest and most passionate work he ever created, is determined to finally face his ghosts, break the curse, and stage the show once more in finland (where it was originally premiered), as his last, most memorable, performance - before giving up the profes-sion. IVAN picks TOM for the role of the dEVIL, because of his energy, individual style, and fire - TOM reminds him of himself at that age. IVAN picks ELENA for the role of the dANcER for her grace, line and strength – unconsciously, her style reminds him of STELLA, his original dance-partner. IVAN trained as a classical dancer at the Vaganova ballet School in St Petersberg (after the 2nd World War), where he met Koit Kapsta, the Estonian dancer, choreographer and eventually ballet master at the Tallinn ballet. In �954, Kapsta invited Ivan to dance in the ‘Nutcracker’ at Tallinn, and Ivan continued to guest there for the following three years. In �957, at the age of 20, Ivan seized the chance to defect via Helsinki and Stockholm, with the help of young finnish dancer, Stella Laine. IVAN knew he wanted to work with dramatic modern and contemporary ballet, and to become a choreographer as well as a dancer: in Stockholm - where associates of his mother’s old friend, composer Edvard Tubin, help him - Stella introduces IVAN to Swedish choreographer birgit cullberg. IVAN becomes an assistant with cullberg, who is creating Månrenen (The Moon Reindeer) – a ballet in which STELLA dances in copenhagen in �957. In �960, IVAN and STELLA marry, and he accompanies her to Helsinki. IVAN rapidly became a star in finland, both as a dancer and as a choreographer. but his career as a dancer culminated - and ended - on the first night of his own ill-fated work, DANSE MACABRE, staged in �96� - with STELLA as his partner - when he badly injured his knee. Since then, despite his temperamental behaviour, his outstanding gifts as a choreographer and teacher and his charismatic personality have kept IVAN working in Europe and all over the world, to great acclaim, up to the present day, as a choreographer and dance master. (IVAN and STELLA were divorced in �962.)

�937 born in the village of chudinovo (Pinega River, Arkhangelsk) to a fishing family and named fedor Ubov.

�947 goes to St Petersberg where he lives with relatives of his mother’s and changes his name to Ivan Karezhkin; attends the Vaganova ballet School, where he proves to be an outstanding dancer with strong choreographic talent.

�953 Invited to Tallinn, Estonia, to dance in The Nutcracker at the newly-formed Tallinn ballet by ex-fellow-student from the Vaganova, choreographer Koit Kapsta. Ivan dances in Tallinn as a guest in the seasons �954, 55, 56, 57.

�957 Seizes an opportunity to defect from the Soviet Union, travelling by ferry to Helsinki, where he is helped by a young finnish dancer (Stella Laine) to continue to Stockholm and copenhagen; Stella introduces Ivan to choreographer birgit cullberg, with whose company he begins to dance and teach. Ivan officially defects to the West at copenhagen.

�960 Marries Stella and moves to Helsinki, where he joins the new finnish ballet.

�96� Premieres his first modern choreography with the finnish ballet: danse Macabre. dances the male lead himself, and injures his knee irreparably on the first night.

�962–20�0 Moves to Paris and begins a highly successful world career as choreographer and dance master, working in Paris, Amsterdam, London, cologne, Hamburg, Holsterbro, Malmö, Prague, Stockholm, copenhagen, Oslo, Reykjavik, Montreal, New York, buenos Aires, Tokyo, Kobe.… with (amongst others) American ballet Theater, ballet de Marquis cuervas, ballet gulbenkian, ballet Internacional de caracas, ballet of the 20th century, ballet Rambert, ballet Theatre français, congreso Internacional de ballet, Les grands ballets canadiens, Joffrey ballet, Hamburg Opera House, London contemporary dance Theatre, National ballet of Holland, Nederlands dans Teater, New York city ballet, Phoenix dance Theatre, Schaufuss company, Siobhan davies dance company, Stuttgart ballet, Teatro colón. (Member of the ‘benois de la danse’ Jury)

20�� Returns to finland and Estonia, Turku and Tallinn to stage Danse Macabre


ELENA (23, b. fisher, Illinois, US, �988), dancing the role of the dANcER, is classically trained, an extremely talented, disciplined, but fluid and charismatic dancer. She fully understands that the performance of IVAN’s Danse Macabre in Turku and Tallinn is her big chance to learn from a legendary choreographer - and an extraordinary opportunity to make her solo debut as a professional dancer. ELENA, an only child, comes from a middle-class background, and has had every encouragement from her mother to develop her passion and talent for dance (an opportunity denied to her by her own parents, when she was a girl). ELENA feels fully supported by her mother; but she never quite believes that her father (not an expressive man) views the stage as a good enough profession for his attractive and clever daughter, or sees her achievements in dance as important - though he does nothing to hinder her, and has always paid for her dance education without complaint. A little reserved and shy, ELENA, from Skokie, a countrified suburb of chicago, travelled to London to take up a place at the Rambert School, but has never ventured beyond Paris, and is excited - and a little apprehensive - to be in Turku and Tallinn. She looks forward to seeing the museums, to going to the Opera and ballet, to taking trips out into the country, maybe with her rollerblades - and above all, to swimming in a lake.

�988 born in fisher, Illinois.

�992 Moves to Skokie, Illinois with her parents

�992–�994 Skokie Montessori School, Illinois

�994–�999 bessie Rhodes School, Evanston, Illinois

�999–2003 Mccracken Middle School, Skokie, Illinois

�992–2003 ballet Russe School, Skokie, Illinois - classes, classical ballet, contemporary dance, Jazz dance; Piano (Zina Yevelenko)

2002–2005 Music Institute of chicago - classes (Piano, Singing)

2003–2005 Trier High School, Illinois (English Language, English Literature, Integrated Mathematics, biology, US History, World History and civilization, Studio Art, computers, Physical Education (grade Point Average b+ SATS �,�80)

2003–2005 Lou conte Studio, chicago (classical ballet, contemporary dance, Jazz dance)

2004 Pryma-bohachevsky Award for Outstanding Achievement in classical ballet

2005–2008 Rambert School of ballet and contemporary dance, London (foundation degree and bA Hons in ballet and contemporary dance). graduation performance: Carnival of the Animals (Siobhan davies/camille Saint Saëns) (Animaux véloces, Aquarium, Cuckoos)

2008–20�0 Rambert dance company, London (touring): Carnival of the Animals (Siobhan davies/camille Saint Saëns)

ELENA: “Dance, dance, dance, dance – dance till you’re Dizzy, then dance some more! Chance, chance, chance, chance – chance is a Moment that opens the door...”



TOM (22, b. Stockwell, London, UK, �989), dancing the role of the dEVIL, came to modern ballet through body-fit-ness sessions at the local Manor Studio, run by bolshoi-trained Evgeni goremykin - who eventually introduced TOM to jazz dance and then classical ballet. He proved to have exceptional talent, which his sisters encouraged and supported, persuading him to move on to a full-time course at the Urdang Academy in North London. Though TOM is an outstandingly gifted dancer; he has an open and cheerful temperament, which saves him from becoming ar-rogant. TOM is very excited to have been picked by the legendary choreographer, IVAN. With Danse Macabre, TOM intends to prove to himself that he can take the discipline of the professional dance world, and win a place there. TOM comes from a working-class background – his mother and sisters have helped him all they can to develop his passion for dance - when he was young paying for him to take classes; but his father is highly suspicious of dance as a career for a man, seeing TOM’s choice as risky and without a future. TOM, outgoing and eager to see the world, has been to Turku once before, to a (Ruis)rock concert, and is happy to be back. He looks forward to clubbing and danc-ing – he has a sideline in dJ-ing/VJ-ing – and hopes to discover god finnish rock bands, and perhaps some ‘happen-ing’ street-dance and VJ-scenes; he intends to find some great finnish clothes - and get out for some rollerblading and sailing.

�989 born in Stockwell, London

2000–2005 Stockwell High School gcSE: biology (b), design and Technology (c), English (c), Maths (c), Media Studies (c), Music (b), Physical Education (A), Social Science (E)

200�–2005 Manor Studio Stockwell (body fitness, Russian Workout, Russian ballet (Evgeni goremykin))

2005–2008 Urdang Academy London: Professional diploma in dance (graduation Performance: Extract from The Moor’s Pavane (Limón/Purcell))

2008–20�0 Phoenix dance Theatre UK (touring): Milagros (de frutos/Stravinsky), Mixed Bill (de frutos and Others)



TOM: “Free, free, free, free, free as a Bird of the air – look at me! Free, free, free, free, free as the Wind or the waves – look at me!”

DANSE MACABRE – PERPETUAL MOTION �0 OUTLINE, MAY 2008text: ©Maureen Thomas 2008

STELLA (7�, b. Ivalo, Northern finland, �940) began her career as a very gifted, dramatic ballet dancer, with a strong talent for contemporary dance, training in Helsinki and Stockholm. Her real ambition was always to work as a choreographer, and a singer, and to stage and perform dance-drama with a comic and popular flavour. On her way back to Stockholm after a visit to Helsinki, STELLA meets IVAN on board the ferry. IVAN, who has been dancing as a guest at the Tallinn ballet in Estonia, has grabbed an opportunity to defect from the Soviet Union; STELLA helps him to stow away on the ferry to Stockholm. STELLA is dancing in Moon Reindeer in copenhagen (�957) and introduces IVAN to birgit cullberg, the choreographer, who employs him. STELLA marries IVAN in copenhagen in �960, to ensure his Western status and help him shield the fact that he is homosexual. STELLA and IVAN move to Helsinki in �960.

STELLA grows very close to IVAN, and despite his homosexual preference, they are occasional lovers, enjoying a complex and often stormy relationship. Meanwhile, STELLA is developing strong feelings for Rurik (22, a half Swed-ish-finnish/half german art and design student, who earns money by scene-painting at the theatre where STELLA often rehearses).

In �96�, STELLA is 2�, and IVAN 24. STELLA is the dance-partner that rising star IVAN wants for his debut work as both choreographer and soloist - his first great dance-drama: Danse Macabre. On the day of the premiere of the original performance, in Helsinki in �96�, STELLA nerves herself to let IVAN know that, although this is the first of his works in which she has danced with him, it will also be the last. STELLA is very proud to be chosen for the role, and also very happy to help IVAN on his way to a great career - both as a dancer and choreographer: but, like the devil in the story, IVAN is stifling STELLA, mesmerising her into dancing his steps, instead of creating her own. She needs to set herself free. She writes him a note and leaves it in Ivan’s dressing room.

After the �96� premiere in Helsinki - where IVAN falls in the midst of a complicated leap, and damages his knee irreparably – IVAN, in his heart, blames STELLA for his accident, and the subsequent loss of his dancing career, be-cause she upset him, by informing him that this would be her last dance partnership with him. He believes that this fragmented his concentration, so that he fell at the most demanding point in the performance, and can never dance again.

STELLA feels strongly IVAN’s projection of her guilt as she leaves Helsinki for germany with Rurik. In berlin, she con-tinues to dance, but also develops her voice and performance as a cabaret singer. In �962, STELLA and IVAN obtain a divorce (from a distance). STELLA marries Rurik in �964, and they have one daughter, Kati, who grows up in berlin, to become a journalist. STELLA continues with her career in music theatre, while she and Rurik bring up the child. They occasionally visit finland as a family, staying with relatives in the North. After Kati marries in �995, STELLA parts ami-cably from Rurik, and in �998 settles permanently in Helsinki, where she pursues her successful career in directing and performing music theatre and cabaret, also staging opera. STELLA occasionally visits Kati and her two children and remains friendly with re-married Rurik, who still lives in berlin. STELLA is popular and has plenty of close friends, male and female, but chooses to live alone.

After the disastrous �96� premiere of IVAN’s Danse Macabre, STELLA and IVAN do not see each other again. After �998, STELLA remains in Helsinki, to become a happy and successful performer, and then director – and a popular cabaret artist.

IVAN, meanwhile, travels the world, living mainly in Paris, and enjoys success upon success as a choreographer and teacher. When IVAN returns to finland in 2009, to create the revival of his first dance-drama, DANSE MACABRE, STELLA is performing her solo cabaret show, ‘crystal cabaret’, in Turku and Tallinn.

STELLA: “What good is sitting alone in your room?Come hear the music play.

Life is a Cabaret, old chum,Come to the Cabaret.”

(CABARET ,Lyrics: Fred Ebb Music: John Kander)

�� DANSE MACABRE – PERPETUAL MOTIONVERSION 0�, MAY 2008


�940 born in Ivalo, Northern finland

�946 Moves to Helsinki with her mother.

�948 begins dance classes with Ottilie fabian in Helsinki

�952 Sees birgit cullberg’s Froken Julie in Helsinki, and falls in love with dance theatre

�954 Through Edvin Laine the film-maker (a family relation), Stella meets Alex Saxenin, ballet-master at the finnish Opera ballet; tries for a place at the ballet School, and is accepted.

�956 gains a place at the Swedish Royal ballet School in Stockholm, where she is encouraged by director Mary Skeaping in her taste for experimental theatre, music hall and dance drama. dances in a cullberg ballet, ‘Zoomorph’, commissioned by Skeaping.

�957 Meets Ivan Karezhkin on the ferry from Helsinki to Stockholm and helps him stow away and defect to the West

�957 dances in copenhagen in cullberg’s ‘Reindeer of the Moon’. continues her association with cullberg.

�960 Marries Ivan and moves back to Helsinki to dance with the new finnish ballet

�96� dances the female lead in Karezhkin’s Danse Macabre in Helsinki. Moves to berlin to study dance and music theatre at the MR drama School.

�962 divorces Ivan Karezhkin. Appears in a number of dance/music roles with the Schaubühne Theatre group, berlin

�964 Marries Rurik Weibull in berlin; daughter, Kati, born

�968 Trains and works with the New Herrnfeld circus group, berlin

�969 Appears as Leocadia begbick in brecht/Weill’s Mahagonny at the Hebbel Theater

�970–�987 Works regularly with small cabaret/theatre company ‘Schall und Rauch’ (named after Max Reinhardt’s original group) devising, directing and performing in shows, including revivals of Reinhardt’s one-act plays.

�976 directs and appears as Madame Armfeldt in Stephen Sondheim’s A little Night Music at the berliner festspiele

�980 co-founds (with christina Anholt) ‘capricious follies’, berlin-based revue/cabaret theatre, where she devises, directs and performs regularly until the �990’s. In �985 takes their show ‘balloon’ to the Edinburgh festival, and enjoys critical and popular success.

�987 Appears as celia Peachum in brecht’s Threepenny Opera (Theater des Westens, berlin)

�988–�998 directs and performs mainly for Hebbel Theater, berlin

�995–�996 divorces Rurik Weibull after her daughter Kati marries (Terrell, a doctor, with whom she has two children, finn (b. 2003) and Luann (b. 2005) and settles in Regensburg, Southern germany. Rurik remarries Vanda (sculptor, b. �950, mother of bernhard and Kaj) in �998 and remains in berlin.)

�998 Relocates to Helsinki

�998–20�0 directs, devises shows, and performs in Helsinki for a number of theatres and companies

20�� directs and performs ‘crystal cabaret’ in Turku and Tallinn


KOIT KAPSTA (b. Viljandi, Estonia, �930; d. Tallinn �999) grew up in VIljandi and Tallinn, but moved to St Petersburg in �94�, after the death of his father and elder brother, to live with relatives of his mother Tuule’s family and to study music. Tuule Kapsta was a composer and musician with the Tallinn performance society, ‘Estonia’ (later dismantled and remodelled as a Soviet theatre company); she was a friend of the composer Eduard Tubin, con-ductor at the ‘Vanemuine’ Theatre, who composed the music for the first Estonian ballet, ‘Kratt’, staged in �944 – the year Estonia officially became a part of the USSR, and Tubin fled to Stockholm (where he lived for the rest of his life).

The young Koit Kapsta turned out to have more talent for dance than music, and won a place at the Vaganova ballet School in St Petersburg. There, �7-year old Koit helped the �0-year old Ivan Karezhkin, when he first arrived in St Petersburg from Arkhangelsk in �947. by the age of 20, Koit already showed a marked talent for choreography: he was much influenced by fedor Lopukhov’s ideas of ballet as a musical form, and was delighted by the young Ivan’s musicality. Over the next five years, Koit and Ivan, both incom-ers to St. Petersberg, grew close.

Koit Kapsta retained an interest in the development of the ballet in his native Estonia, and returned there in �952 (at the age of 22), to dance; he stayed, eventually to work as a choreographer, and to teach at the Tallinn ballet School (led by Anna Ekston). Koit invited Ivan to Tallinn to dance in the ‘Nutcracker’ in �953, and Ivan returned as a guest dancer in the �954, ’55 and ‘56 seasons.

Koit managed to visit Helsinki for the rehearsal period of Ivan’s first major ballet, Danse Macabre, in �96�, and the two resumed their close relationship (which continued as best it could until Koit’s death in Estonia in �999). Koit was present in Ivan’s dressing room when, just before the first performance of Danse Macabre, Ivan received Stella’s note telling him of her decision to leave for berlin after the final show, with Rurik Weibull (a half-german, half-Swedish-finnish sculptor).


�3 DANSE MACABRE – PERPETUAL MOTIONVERSION 0�, MAY 2008


DESCRIPTION OF PERFORMANCE/DRAMATIC EXPERIENCE

Visitors enter the ‘crystal cAbARET’, where they can look up and listen to STELLA’s songs, as she wanders the raised stage; and share her memories, as impressionistic video fragments (projected below the stage and walkway, see pages �5–�6).

Visitors can move through at any time to the STUdIO, and look in through the plate glass windows on IVAN prepar-ing TOM and ELENA for the upcoming performance of danse Macabre.

from the control room of the Theatre, they can view the STAgE, where TOM and ELENA rehearse, and where IVAN recalls fragments of his past.

Visitors can also peer into the private spaces of the PROPS ROOM, WARdRObE ROOM and dRESSINg ROOMS, where IVAN, ELENA and TOM remove their performance-masks and make-up, and relax.

They can watch TOM and ELENA dance at the cLUb, or rollerblade in the PARK.

Several video scenes play out in each location. (Dialogue is in English, but with almost no lip-synch, so this can easily be replaced in any language, or simultaneous translation can be offered through earphones. The inner thoughts of the characters are expressed mainly through songs - pre-recorded, played back over the video). Visitors can view the video scenes in any order, as they wander at will from location to location. depending on the order in which they experi-ence the scenes - determined by a combination of chance and choice - visitors find their own individual interpreta-tions of the story and relationships playing out before them.

Visitors can explore the drama in as many ways as they want to, at their own pace: from the scenes they see and hear, they actively create the story of the characters for themselves.

BackgroundDanse Macabre – Perpetual Motion is conceived as a form of ‘Total Theatre’ (Richard Wagner; Gropius/Bauhaus) ena-bled by digital technology, using video, music, dance and live action combined to express the drama. The musical and dramatic structure is influenced by the experiments of twentieth-century choreographer Merce cunningham and composer John cage with chance operations and indeterminacy, which Danse Macabre writer Maureen Thomas has successfully adapted and developed in her bAfTA nomination-shortlisted interactive hypermovie, Vala (bAfTA 2003), her concept for the live music/dance performance, RunoTanssi (RuneDance) (choreographer Petri Kekoni, mu-sical director Anna-Kaisa Leides, gloria Theatre Helsinki/ Kuopio dance festival 2006) and her experimental (Ec-sup-ported) interactive video/3d full-length reconfigurable musical/moving image work, RuneCast (cambridge Interna-tional film festival; Southbank centre, London design festival 2007). Danse Macabre director Mika Tuomola has also successfully experimented with reconfigurable music video and drama performance in his Ec/YLE interactive TV series, Sydän kierroksella (Accidental Lovers) (broadcast 2006/7) and internationally toured dance movie installation Myths for One with buto choreographer/dancer Akeno, Aki Suzuki (crucible 2002). Danse Macabre scenographer Jaakko Pesonen designed the environment for Pia Tikka’s critically-acclaimed reconfigurable ‘enactive cinema’ mov-ie, Obsession, at Kiasma, Helsinki (2005). Danse Macabre puts together music, dance and story as spatially organized interactive dramatic experience using video-based integrated media.

Moving Image MediaIf all the scenes from Danse Macabre – Perpetual Motion were strung together as a linear story, they would make a feature-length movie which tells a coherent story. However, as an explorable, spatially-organised twenty-first century ‘total theatre’ experience, the video scenes are visitable in different orders. The control of viewpoint and emphasis enabled by moving image media means that the dance items can fully express the nuances of the rela-tionships between the characters - as they do in the most compelling musical movies. The story of Karezhkin’s ballet, Danse Macabre, which, in the integrated media performance, Danse Macabre – Perpetual Motion, he is rehearsing and producing in 20��, is the tale of a perpetual circle of temptation and seduction, and so is the process of creating the dMPM show. Each of the characters is pulled towards the others, and has to strive to maintain their balance. As in Jean Paul Sartre’s play, Huis Clos (In Camera/No Exit/Hell is Other People, 1944), in Danse Macabre – Perpetual Motion, the three characters are in a state of ‘perpetuum mobile’ as they circle each other. but how the relationships be-


tween these characters appear to the audience, and how sympathetic each of the characters seems, depends on the order in which each visitor personally experiences the component elements of the show - and this is finally deter-mined by each visitor for themselves.

This is emphatically not the non-narrative abstract performance favoured by cunningham and cage, and often by other modernist/post-modernist avant-garde art: it is most definitely narrative drama, played out in what Josef Svoboda terms ‘psychoplastic’ space. The work also has something in common with Kurt Weill’s music theatre – for example, his New Orpheus (�926), which experimented with mixed media - including film on stage; or his Married Life (�948), which used a non-linear structure.

Music & LyricsThe music and lyrics connect the scenes, themes and segments of Danse Macabre – Perpetual Motion – as in a �930’s musical motion picture, of the kind perfected by director Mark Sandrich, starring fred Astaire and ginger Rog-ers, in the �930’s: where the music and lyrics of the gershwins, Irving berlin or cole Porter are an integral part of the storytelling, also expressing, and commenting on, the feelings and changes in relationship of the characters. Like any back-stage music/dance movie from Sandrich’s Shall We Dance (�937) through Michael Powell and Emeric Pressberger’s The Red Shoes (�948) and Stanley donen/gene Kelly’s Singin’ in the Rain (�952) to bob fosse’s Cabaret (�972) and Robert Altman’s The Company (2003), Danse Macabre – Perpetual Motion uses the process of creating and staging a show to make singing and dancing a natural part of the performance. The original music for the perform-ance of Karezhkin’s ballet, Danse Macabre, thematically and melodically links to the original music for the lyrics and scenes: musical links between these are an essential part of the narrative coherence of the whole. Outside the Danse Macabre preparations and performance, and commenting on them to the audience, Stella sings (live) a selection of well-known cabaret songs with music by John Kander, Irving berlin, Henry Mancini, george gershwin, charles dumont and Kurt Weill.

ChoreographyThe choreography for Karezhkin’s (fictional) Danse Macabre was originally created in �96� - modern ballet with a strong contemporary feel and focus on drama, emotion and storytelling. Karezhkin was influenced by Swedish cho-reographers birgit cullberg and birgit Åkesson, with whom he came into close contact, but also Kenneth MacMillan, Martha graham, Merce cunningham, Maurice béjart, Jerome Robbins and Alvin Ailey. The process of choreograph-ing and rehearsing the Danse Macabre ballet performance is a very physical and visceral one, where constant body contact and shared effort bring the two dancers and the choreographer into close touch with each other, as com-plex emotions are released through the characterisation of the protagonists in the dance. It is chiefly through the way the performers move and touch each other, the way their interaction is interpreted by the camera, and the way the camera shows each character watching the others, that the nuances of these changing relationships, conscious and unconscious, are conveyed.

Direction and ScenographyThe Danse Macabre – Perpetual Motion ‘total theatre’ of integrated video-based media in psychoplastic space aims to create a new combination of live-cabaret and music/dance movie, where the audience is active, not passive. It is a uniquely 2�st century form, enabled by digital technology. The dramatic experience is shaped by very close collaboration between drama-script writer/lyricist, interactive/video director, and spatial scenographer, throughout the creative process of creating Danse Macabre – Perpetual Motion as a spatially organised event. Work between this team, the composer and choreographer will also be extremely collaborative, since the dramatic storytelling and casting depend on the music and dance asmuch as on the drama per se.



INSTALLATION AND PERFORMANCE SPACE CONCEPT

The basic concept for the installation is a spiral structure. The spiral ramp is a stage for Stella to perform her crystal cabaret. concave and convex areas form spaces for the different scenes. The audience can wander through the different spaces in any order, passing under the ramp or going around the whole structure.

The studio is a white light concave space with mirrors alternating with projection screens for the videos. The atmosphere is inbetween public and intimate.

The rehearsal theatre stage is a warm concave space with smaller screens which are viewed seated, like peeking at the rehearsals from a far away balcony.

The park is a convex space, open and airy with a large horizontal screen.

The club is a small space under the ramp, dark and intimate.

The Stage is a convex space with a large screen which is partially transperent. This space will have actual seating to view the danse Macabre ballet projection as well as Stella’s memories and cabaret.

The wardrobe, props room and dressing room form the core of the structure. The space cannot be entered, but is viewed from the outside through “mirrors” to revial the inner and intimate spaces behind the stage.



STUDIO (WHITE)• DIAMOND PAS-dE dEUX (dIScOVERY)- Elena & Tom discover each other (directed by Ivan)

• MOONSTONE PAS-dE dEUX (dANcE WITH YOUR HEART) - Ivan tempts Elena

• PINK PEARL PAS-dE-TROIS (YOU’LL NEVER gET IT) - Ivan tempts Tom (watched by Elena)

• WHITE PEARL PAS-dE-TROIS (SPINNINg) - Tom passes on the temptation to Elena (watched by Ivan)

• QUARTZ dUET (TIME) - ELENA tempts TOM

• SUNSTONE PAS dE TROIS (fOR YOU fOR ME) - Elena and Tom compete for Ivan

CLUB (BLACK)• JET PAS DE DEUX (dARK SHAdOWS) - Tom tempts Elena

PARK (GREEN)• EMERALD ROLLERbLAdINg dUO (gLIdINg bY) - Elena challenges Tom

THEATRE STAGE - (EMPTY) REHEARSALS (ORANGE)• TOPAZ SOLO (HALf LIfE) - Ivan recalls the past and expresses himself

• CITRINE SOLO [fINdINg ONESELf)- Elena expresses her dilemma

• BERYL PAS dE dEUX (SEARcHINg) – (dancer and devil) Elena tempts Ivan/Ivan tempts Elena

• PERIDOT PAS-dE-dEUX (MASKINg) - Tom tempts Ivan

• AMBER SOLO (SUN SHAdOWS) - Tom expresses himself

WARDROBE ROOM (VIOLET)• SAPPHIRE PAS-dE-dEUX (REAdY TO fLY) - Tom and Elena tempt each other

• TOURMALINE dUO (cONfIdENcES) - Ivan and Elena tempt each other

• AMETHYST TRIO (fEELINgS) -Ivan, Tom and Elena tempt each other

PROPS ROOM (BURGUNDY)• CHALCEDONY TRIO (fENcES fALL) - Ivan, Tom and Elena tempt each other

• GARNET dUO (TRUST)- Ivan and Tom tempt each other

DRESSING ROOM (BLUE)• AQUAMARINE SOLO (PERfEcT TIMIINg)- Elena expresses herself

THEATRE STAGE – (PUBLIC) PERFORMANCE (RED) • RUBY PAS-dE-dEUX ‘dANSE MAcAbRE’ (Ivan Karezhkin’s 2-person dance drama)

• FIRE OPAL PAS-dE-QUATRE ‘PERPETUUM MObILE’ - Elena, Tom, Ivan and Stella move in and out of each other’s places and spheres of influence

SCENES/SCREENSPACES AND MAIN ACTION

CABARET (BLACK & WHITE)• CRYSTAL CABARETSTELLA performs her cabaret, singing popular songs. These trigger her memories of her life. STELLA speaks to her audience of falling in love; and of how she left finland in �96� for berlin, where she learnt her art as a cabaret dancer and singer.

• CRYSTAL FRAGMENTS STELLA’S MEMORIES (impressionistic video) Stella’s Memories of her life, her turbulent relationship with Ivan, her premiere performance of �96� with him, and events leading from then to 20��



PERFORMANCE SPACES/PROJECTIONS – LIMINALITY & TRANSFORMATION

(�) cabaret bar (Live performance + Memory projection) public place where pain is transformed into music, wit and optimism; dreamspace (2) Theatre Stage/backstage (no audience) public place, enclosed, in private use for rehearsals – creative space, place of potential(3) Park public, airy and light – celebratory space(4) club public, enclosed and dark – here the unconscious rules(5) Studiointense private work on public performance, observable through glass - liberating and enclosing by turns – place of transformation (6) Props Room secret, dark – place of potential(7) Wardrobe Room secret, dark – place of transformation(8) dressing Room private, shadowy but with bright mirror lights – place of transformation(9) Theatre Stage (performance) public, mysterious – place of ritual transformation

The audience moves freely about the whole space and can visit any room in any order to watch the action taking place there

In the evenings, a single actress (STELLA, 7�) presents her cabaret show ‘live’ within the space.Meanwhile, STELLA’S memories run on video loops.

The original ‘danse Macabre’ performance (starring YOUNg STELLA dancing with YOUNg IVAN) runs perpetually on a video loop.

At live performances, as well as singing her crystal cabaret, Stella wanders (live) through the drama space - thea-tre, studio, wardrobe room, props room, dressing room, park, club and theatre, watching as IVAN, TOM and ELENA create the new performance of Danse Macabre, which she premiered with IVAN (in �96�). As Stella - or any audience member or visitor during exhibition hours - enters each space, the video action is triggered, to fall still again, frozen as a single image, ready for the next comer, when a visitor moves on. Performer and each visitor can choose their own time and direction to move, according to their mood, so the still images on display constantly change through-out each exhibition day/performance period. The video screens remain constantly active throughout the day for gal-lery visitors. during the live performances, Stella remains in the space, and comments live on the action happening in each ‘room’.

Sound is local to each ‘room’, activated when visitors enter the space. The video projections inside each space run as continuous loops. These screens can only be activated while there are people inside particular space – otherwise, they remain frozen as moments from the scenes they depict, falling still at the end of a performance or open period for the gallery, and remaining wherever they stopped till the next performance or open exhibition begins. The scenes are all of different lengths, so there will be a new reconfiguration of frozen scenes on display throughout the gallery space after each performance.

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