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BOLERO-EXTENDED

This hour-long cello and dance performance takes a new look at the canonical work. The performance is an unusual interpretation of Boléro, a piece by the famous French composer Maurice Ravel. The easily recognizable melody and its interpretations are visualized on stage by the choreographer Palle Granhøj, Šeiko Dance Company and the Klaipėda cello octet. Creatively deconstructed, M. Ravel’s music is performed on stage with one, several, or eight cellos at once, giving the music an unexpected and contemporary flair.

Danish choreographer Palle Granhøj works with dancers to create a gallery of portraits depicting discerning personalities, and revealing the unique qualities of each dancer in the troupe, and in this way adding to the musical canvas and interpretation of the performance. Instead of exposing the dancers’ plasticity and the specific characteristics of the choreography, P. Granhøj focuses on showing human nature, and strives to reveal men and women as they are: real, alive, and complex.

Internationally renowned choreographer Palle Granhøj is known for his authorial obstruction technique. It allows the choreographer to transform the dancers’ movements by limiting their actions, thus revealing the inner layers of their personalities. In the last 30 years his collaboration with dancers has resulted in around forty dance performances. P.Granhøj, who often combines the language of contemporary dance with classical music, has produced plays based on the works of Igor Stravinsky (Holy Spring) and Gustav Mahler (2men2mahler and Men & Mahler). P.Granhøj is constantly creating with his Granhøj Dans troupe in Aarhus, and his work has already been performed in 49 countries worldwide.

The Klaipėda Cello Octet was formed in 2017 after debuting at the Klaipėda Cello Festival. The initiator of this debut was Mindaugas Bačkus, one of the most oft-performing cellists in Lithuania and Klaipėda Chamber Orchestra artistic director. His musical interests range from baroque to contemporary opuses, from traditional to experimental cello sound. The Klaipėda Cello Quartet cooperates with the Šeiko Dance Company and has already presented several co-produced dance performances. “Boléro – Extended” is a co-production of Šeiko Dance Company, Klaipėda International Cello Festival and Granhøj Dans.

Press about the performance

In the absolutely terrific Bolero – Extended <...> you as a spectator see a work that with unique clarity shows what art can do at its best.
It is about a different kind of communication, which offers information about the world we live in, seen from an unexpected angle. When it succeeds like this, I dare to use the word ‘sublime’.
The flow of vitality in the performance’s wordless and plotless narrative, strikes me as a spectator with tremendous power.

Janek Szatkowski is an Associate Professor at the Department of Communication and Culture, Dramaturgy, Aarhus University

⭐⭐⭐⭐ I absolutely loved it – it was clever and beautiful, interesting and uplifting. The staging of the cellos and boxes was inspired!

Philippa Casares, reviewer for Mervyn Stutter Pick of the Fringe, 2022 08 24.
The show was awarded 4 stars from Mervyn Stutter Pick of the Fringe, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2022.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ In this unique joint production from Denmark and Lithuania, contemporary dance groups Granhøj Dans and Šeiko Dance Company have joined forces with Klaipėda Cello Octet to create a cacophony of music and movement. Putting even Ravel to shame, the slow build here is practically tectonic.

The Scotsman (www.scotsman.com). Edinburgh Festival Fringe reviews: BOLERO – EXTENDED | The Dan Daw Show | I just like you | a gay myth | Karen from Finance is Out of Office | The Intervention | Payday Party | A Wilde Life | Trouble on Six | Doll | Tales of Vomit, Trash and Broken Glass | The Lacehouse, 2022 08 26.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This is an elegant, thrilling work that combines live music, percussive effects and cheeky but chilling choreography to incredible effect.
This is a quirky, flirty, majestic dance with live cello accompaniment.

Claire Wood. BOLERO-EXTENDED. The Wee Review (theweereview.com), 2022 08 25.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ In the terrific ensemble, Niels Claes, Gintarė Marija Ūsė as well as Marius Pinigis must be singled out for their deeply passionate solos. They contribute significantly to making “BOLERO-EXTENDED” a small masterpiece, which lasts an hour and leaves the audience in an almost euphoric mood.

Michael Søby, cphculture.dk, 2022 10 17.

Choreography:
Palle Granhøj (Denmark) and dancers
Dancers:
Inga Kucnecova / Viktorija Zobielaitė, Darius Berulis, Dovilė Binkauskaitė, Povilas Jurgaitis / Niels Claes, Gintarė Marija Ūsė, Mantas Ūsas, Oksana Griaznova, Aušra Krasauskaitė, Marius Pinigis.
Music:
Maurice Ravel „Boléro“
Music arrangement:
James Barralet
Musicians:
Klaipėdos violončelių oktetas: Mindaugas Bačkus / Kornelija Kupšytė, Marius Sakavičius, Karolis Vaičiulis, Gleb Pysniak ir kviestiniai muzikantai
Co-producers:
Granhøj Dans (Danija), Tarptautinis Klaipėdos violončelės festivalis ir konkursas
Meno vadovė:
Agnija Šeiko
Premiered in:
2019
Duration:
60 min.

February 2025

BOLERO-EXTENDED

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February 28, Dūmų fabrikas, Vilnius Tickets
.