KVT is back!
After taking a break, KVT has decided to again comment on happenings in Hanoi’s art scene. We are so happy, we decided to mark the occassion with a lovely new picture.
Outlandishly Fabulous
The Italians have outdone themselves again!
In March they imported La Cuccina Futurista to the Goethe and we experienced recipes from Marinetti’s Futuristic Cookbook. It is up near the top of the best ten cultural things I’ve experienced in the last 10 years in Hanoi. Then on Thursday evening at the Hong Ha theatre they gave us another top tenner with the world renowned Italian contemporary dance group, the Artemis Dance Company headed by its ultra famous choreographer and founder, Monica Casadei (she was given a critics award in 2000 as best choreographer of the new generation and best choreographer of the year for her 2006 Cuban piece, The Energetic Revolution). Monica is considered to be one of the most significant players in the panorama of Italian contemporary dance.
Energetic is one of the many adjectives that can be used to describe the work we saw – I Outlandish-Homage to Felini . Other superlatives include breathtaking, awesome, beautiful, absolutely wonderful, fabulous… with more to follow…
Six dancers sinuously wound, leapt, threw, rolled, jete-ed their way through Nino Roto’s music from Fellini’s movies, taking on and re-inventing the roles and characters of some of the great works in an exhilarating hour of the most inventive choreography I’ve seen in years. I was as exhausted as the dancers at the conclusion of this stunning piece of total theatre. The pas de deux were sensuously exotic and erotic. The whole was a kaleidoscope of wonderful bodies doing wonderfully and sometimes wonderfully impossible creative things…but so easily!
Like Fellini and La Dolce Vita this dance performance was outlandishly brilliant.
The company was on a tour of Japan and Korea with a lucky stop over for us in Hanoi before heading back to Italy.
Once again top, world class culture at our fingertips and, remarkably, all free thanks to the cultural enthusiasm of the Italian Embassy.
I’m thinking of heading to Italy this December to catch their acclaimed performances of Turkish Bazar, Latin American Trilogy, and Fellini in wonderfully La Dolca Vita-sounding places like Florence, Parma, Piacenza and Montegrotto Terme.
| Not a reviewer, not a critic, “Kiếm Văn Tìm” is an interested, impartial and informed observer and connoisseur of the Hanoi art scene who offers highly opinionated remarks and is part of the long and venerable tradition of anonymous correspondents. Please add your thoughts in the comment field below. |
Welcome back! KVT!
I like your articles so much. If you put some photos in your writing, it’ll be better. I think so.
Welcome back KTV! :D
The performance from Italy was amazing! It’s a party of music, light and wonderful dancers! I love this performance and I love Italian culture! Amooooooo Italiaaaaaaaaaaaa!