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Between introspective depth and bursts of virtuosity, this playlist is a gateway to the world of PLAY
Before immersing yourself in the rich universe of PLAY, discover the story behind its creation - for beneath this jubilant work lies Alexander Ekman's profound reflection on our relationship with play, wonder and the present moment. Created for the Paris Opera Ballet, PLAY draws on the excellence, rigour and technical virtuosity of its formidable performers, who serve an inventive yet always accessible and embodied choreographic language. Between poetry, humour and physical prowess, Ekman never denies the classical heritage of the company he directs with audacity and precision. Before the stage comes to life, let's take a moment to enter the mind of this unclassifiable creator, who loves to surprise as much as he loves to bring people together.
Between introspective depth and bursts of virtuosity, this playlist is a gateway to the world of PLAY: a journey between classicism and poetry, where we can hear, in the background, the echo of our lost games.
“Playing is something that makes us happy. We used to do it all the time as children. With this piece, I'm interested in what it means to play when you become an adult. There's a human mystery surrounding it. Why do we stop playing as we grow up?
For me, it's a bit like feeling in the loop or out of the loop. Sometimes I'm out of the loop: I wake up, have my coffee, go to work, and feel like I'm not discovering anything new.
I want this piece to serve as a reminder of the past.
I don't have any rules in my creative process. I can work from anything, but my goal is always to grab your attention. As soon as I feel like I've lost it, that you're thinking about something else, that you're bored, I'm convinced that I haven't done my job as an artist or choreographer.”
Alexander Ekman - June 2017
“Filling a house with balloons, inventing a new dance step. Dressing up. Playing at being a choreographer, playing at being a doctor, playing at being someone important. Pretending your house is a castle. Dancing. Singing. How do you play?
It's complicated to define what playing is. For me, playing is a way of being present, of abstracting time. Playing means being curious, wanting to participate. In this work, I explore with the dancers different ways of playing through dance: from individual movements to synchronised gestures...
A group works its way from play to boredom before rediscovering the joy of playing again. Let's give ourselves permission to be crazy, to forget the everyday routine of our lives, to have fun enjoying the moment together. I think it's important. I think it's necessary.”
Alexander Ekman - October 2017
