Gustavia

In Gustavia, two choreographers with completely different dance biographies and yet very similar thoughts and questions regarding the future of performance art, work together for the first time.  Mathilde Monnier and La Ribot use the techniques and codes of classical burlesque – as they appear in the films of Jacques Tati, Charlie Chaplin or the Marx Brothers – for the art of metamorphosis and role-swapping.  They explore them and their use in dance and discover that the comic elements, which are what burlesque exposes, are what normally remains hidden in dance.  Using the energetic body language of farce and their own characteristic sense of humour in their duet, the two world-renowned choreographers do not ignore themes such as being a woman in society, death, theatre and self-expression.

Indirectly using the grotesque techniques of burlesque, the dual character Gustavia attempts to describe the metier as well as the connections between contemporary art and life, and ultimately asks a very serious question: can one as an artist today influence society?