5 ways to renew dance in 1 performance. Go OFFline in Korzo

As a museum, if you want to participate a little, you have to lead the audience through the presentation interactively. You should be able to do the same with dance, choreographer Amos Ben-Tal must have thought with his project OFFline. He shows 5 ways. In a performance.

1. start differently

The much-used formula of 'sit in your chair and watch a performance' is immediately jettisoned at OFFline by dance collective OFFPROJECTS. At first, you walk through various spaces of the Korzo theatre and engage with installations. Perceptions are challenged: you think you get it, you hit the mark. Before entering the main hall, you operate a slide on a control panel that lights up a lamp near a chair. There you can take a seat.

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2. use exciting music

The music of Hague's 'guitar miracle' Dyzack fascinates immensely. All kinds of sounds and techniques, from rhythmic to melodic, from acoustic to electrically distorted sounds, pass by. Dyzack walks through the performance like a storyteller and, in consultation with Amos, switches deadpan to a different musical approach when needed.

3. involve the public

Placing the audience around a dance floor is nothing new. It was already seen in School of Thought at the previous employer of OFFPROJECTS' dancers: NDT. However, you don't often experience the whole venue moving along on instruction. With men and women responding rhythmically to each other. At Symphony X by Meyers and Sehgal you could already walk on stage among a playing orchestra, this goes a step further.

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4. show separate dance

Despite a dance education in Canada and nine years at NDT, Ben-Tal's dance looks like that of an autodidact. Movements from the abdominal region, sudden tucks, swinging arms. Aesthetics are not a driving force, the dance is functional. One dancer takes an initiative and the other responds, accelerates or disrupts. If you don't know the movement language, you won't understand it. Halfway OFFline, a tip of the veil is lifted and the dance gains meaning. Especially when rhythm (order) and synchronicity (more order) are visible. And the performance advances.

5. be inspired

Amos preaches like a little prophet. With beard and all. Before and during the performance, he explains. 'We really did work hard on this performance and you don't throw your money away on a simple improvisation session here.' With a serious look, he then explains the three principles of Nikola Tesla from: energy, frequency and vibration. And because dancers with egos and free will are involved, you get chaos. But chaos in turn offers opportunities.

Do you know of any other ways to innovate dance? Share them in the comments!