Tanz Luzerner Theater - April 10th 2016

Lucerne, Switzerland

Malasombra

music:  La Lupe
choreography, costume design: Cayetano Soto
assistant to choreographer: Mikiko Arai
photos: Gregory Batardon

duration: 23’
premiere: 2015, Luzerne Theater

Malasaombra (Bad Shadow) is an homage to the Cuban singer Guadalupe Victoria Yolí Raymond (1939–1992), better known as La Lupe, the Queen of Latin Soul: an eccentric, provocative and electrifying personality whose fans included Ernest Hemingway, Jean Paul Sartre and Marlon Brando. After fleeing Castro’s regime, La Lupe was able to continue her success in the USA until her record contract was cancelled. She died at the age of 52, impoverished and alone in New York. Malasombra is not only about La Lupe’s life but also the destructive power of negative feelings.

Born in Spain in 1975, Cayetano Soto started his dance education at the Theater Institute in Barcelona and continued his studies at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. After receiving his degree in classical dance, Soto signed his first professional contract with IT.Dansa in Barcelona, before joining Ballet Munich in 1998, under Philip Taylor’s artistic direction. For Ballet Munich he has created several successful choreographic works. In September 2005, he became a freelance choreographer. Since then, he was creating and working with many important companies, such as Ballet Stuttgart, Royal Ballet of Flanders, Balé da Cidade de Sao Paulo, Ballet Jazz Montreal, Introdans, Gauthier Dance Company, National Dance Company of Portugal, Perm Ballet, National Theater in Brno, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, Tanz Luzerner Theater and Northwest Dance Project in Portland. Soto has created several works for German companies including State Theater in Braunschweig, Augsburg Ballet, Ballet Dortmund and State Theater Schwerin, among others. In 2006, he took the first prize for his work “24FPS” at the choreographic competition of the Royal Ballet of Flanders. His later work, “Canela Fina” commissioned by Bale da Cidade de Sao Paulo was awarded by the most important newspaper in Brasil, Folha de Sao Paulo, as well as by audience and critics as best dance production in 2008. In 2011, he was nominated for the Golden Mask Award in Russia, for his piece “Uneven”. In 2015, Cayetano Soto was working as choreographer in residence of the Ballet BC Vancouver.

Shades

music:  Julien Tarride
choreography, stage design: Andonis Foniadakis
costume: Tassos Sofroniou
lighting design: Mariella von Vequel-Westernach
rehearsal assistant: Zoran Marković
photos: Gregory Batardon

duration: 27’
premiere: 2015, Luzerne Theater

A journey through the night, story about the power of dance itself. Passion and self-surrender, but also anonymity and vulnerability are combined in “Shades”.

Andonis Foniadakis grew up in the small city of Ierapetra in island Crete, in Greece. He began his dance training with Niki Papadaki  at the local dance school of his city. In 1990-92 he continues studying at the State Dance School in Athens and before his graduation he receives  the prestigious Maria Kallas scholarship to continue his studies in Bejart’s school in Lausanne. As a dancer he was engaged in Bejart Ballet, Lyon Opera Ballet, Saburo Teshigawara/Karas Co., and his own dance Co. Apotosoma. During the years  of his professional engagement with the above companies he has performed choreographic works of: Maguy Marin, Jiri Kilian, William Forsythe, Nacho Duato, Mats Ek, Maurice Bejart, Ohad Naharin, Frederic Flamand, Bill T Jones, Tero Saarinen, Saburo Teshigawara, among the rest. He creates his own dance company Apotosoma based in Lyon France in 2003, after he has created several works for Bejart Ballet and Lyon Opera Ballet. Fonidakis has presented his productions for Apotosoma in Maison de la Danse and Biennale in Lyon, Joyce Theatre in New York, The Place London, Dance Festival of Kalamata and Athens Festival. As a freelance choreographer he has collaborated with Geneva Ballet, Lyon Opera Ballet, National Dance Company of Wales, Cia Sociedade Masculina, Helsinki Dance Company, National Ballet of Greece, National Theater of Northen Greece, Benjamin Millepied Dance Company, Washington Ballet, Bejart Ballet, Ballet Junior Geneva, Hellenic Dance Company, Ballet of Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, Dansgroep Amsterdam, Bale da Cidade of Sao Paulo ... He has received Danza e Danza Award for the “Best Chorographer 2012” in Italy, for his creation "Les Noces" for Maggio Danza.  Since 2003, Foniadakis dance company Apotosoma based in Lyon, continues to present his work in France, Greece, Italy, Finland, Luxembourg, UK, USA… The world premiere of his work “Wisteria Maiden” took place at the 11th Belgrade Dance Festival.

Since the season 2009/10 the American Kathleen McNurney is leading the dance company of Theater in Luzern. As the artistic director of the company, she is offering a platform for young talents as well as established choreographers to create for this ensemble. The rich variety of repertoire exposes a wide range of contemporary dance styles, highlighting the surprising artistic talents. Tanz Luzerne is a company of 10 young and dynamic dancers from 9 different countries, all trained in classical ballet and contemporary dance. They like the challenge of always getting in touch with new dance styles, new influences and choreographers. Tanz Luzern collaborates with young talents as well as award-winning choreographers, such as Stijn Celis, Georg Reischl, Cayetano Soto, Maurice Causey, Patrick Delcroix and Ken Ossola. Most of the dance productions that the company performs are world premiers. With the highest standards and quality, the company is getting recognized inside and outside the country.

A gripping dance program with an excellent dance ensemble, a great celebration of the artistry and passion of dance… The audience was thrilled.
© Neue Luzerner Zeitung

Unbelievable, with what accomplishment the dancers adopted the styles of such fundamentally different choreographers such as Soto and Foniadakis.
© Neue Zürcher Zeitung

performers: Chiara Dal Borgo, Rachel P. Fallon, Rachel Lawrence, Salome Martins, Aurélie Robichon; Davidson Farias, Shota Inoue, Anton Rosenberg, Richèl Wieles, Eduardo Zúñiga