Hofesh Shechter's Untitled

Choreography, music and direction by Hofesh Shechter
Hofesh Shechter Company
Lanterns Studio Theatre

Rachel Fallon as Elisabetta Credit: Ulrich Geischëe

This video screening, filmed in the Lanterns Studio Theatre in London, follows live performances of its stage version last week as part of Torinodanza Festival in Italy. Lasting only ten minutes, it will get just eight screenings at specific times over two days.

In contrast to the mass movement of Grand Finale (screened over the past week), this involves just one dancer performing what are presented as excerpts from the full dance piece Untitled, which was created in 2005. Just one dancer, who a voice-over Shechter several times reminds us, is “my dancer Elisabetta,” but it is not strictly a solo for she is surrounded by a wall of strangers, the participating audience all caught on their own cameras.

The choreographic content seems typical Shechter: Rachel Fallon’s Elisabetta stretching and twisting on the floor in the first part, rising boxed-in by faces; in a second part pushing across the floor, registering the observers, seeming to make a connection (she gets a smile back); long extended steps where the camera concentrates on the feet as they stretch out.

The third part, Shechter announces, is about memories: memories of Parts 1 and 2, memories that he says we can find on the faces of those who are watching. Memories too, perhaps, of previous work from Shechter and from his company.

Most important, however, is Part 4, a reminder of what dance is: a personal and poetic statement from the choreographer that means even more with all those Zoom-watchers.

Reviewer: Howard Loxton

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