Gabriel Lion 2004
"We want to present a picture of the hell to the people and persuade them, that even a man in the hell is able to remain human. As well as we remain human here in the heaven (or how they call it down there), or do we not?... Concentration camp. Solar system. Planet Earth." emain human. As well as we remain human here in the heaven (or how they call it down there), or do we not?... Concentration camp. Solar system. Planet Earth."
Dance-dramatic project based on the play by V. E. Frankl. By joining of several theatrical forms (dramatical part reading and modern dance accompanied by recorded music) we aim to create an unconvential performance though comprehensive to the spectators that would correspond to present foreign trends in theater arts.
Martin Dvořák, choreographer and director of the show
Dance in Bohemia is after all still alive. After tragedies, such as the end of Prague Chamber Ballet in the bowels of State Opera Prague, we couldn´t just sit and observe, so with the help of non-profit organisations we managed to produce and stage a dance-theatrical project with many re-runs.
Following the example of foreign projects, we organised an audition in January 2004 and after careful selection we invited twelve dancers to participate on our project. At that time, we didn´t have any money promised from the sponsors. Faith and courage were sufficient for us - our savings and broken piggy banks would secure it.
We rehearsed four months. The result was presented for the first time on 16th May 2004 in Terezín on the occasion of the hommage to victims of holocaust Terezínská tryzna and at the same time at festival Czech Dance Platform, greatly supported (financially and morally) by Tanec Praha and Mrs. Yvonna Kreuzmannová.
The show was seen by more than a thousand people.
Almost a miracle for a dance Cinderella. But actually... we didn´t economize on propagation materials. Posters and postcards went through chosen towns. We didn´t want to rely on coincidence. Gabriel Lion works with the theme of holocaust - "how to survive a hell on Earth". Depressive at first sight, but less depressive on the second one. The model - play by Viktor E. Frankl Synchronisation in Březinka - tells us about the longing of a suffering human to believe that our whole life has a deeper sense. Now it is me who believes that the audience left the theatre presented with hope and strenghtened by faith that even our everyday ordinary life can have sense for "someone".
The structure of the show was based on trends of contemporary scenic dance, but not at all costs on the experimental, nowadays popular "cool" level. Completed by contemporary electronic music with motifs by A. Dvořák and A. Pärt, accompanied by spoken texts (adapted play by V. E. Frankl). The show imposes high requirements on speaking dancers and moving actors. It is a connection of various art forms in one and it approaches artists of different professions not only on stage, but also generally in broader context.
