Israeli choreographer duo Inbal Pinto and Avshalom Pollak make the most astonishing shows full of TOMFOOLERY and surrealistic scenes. In their work, which in the Netherlands is performed exclusively by Introdans, these two dance makers make their own totally individual ‘sound’. As if opening up a magic box, they conjure up all kinds of crazy characters and strange figures and they play a sophisticated game with subtle, absurdist humour and slapstick, dance, mime, theatre, cabaret and acrobatics, amazing costumes, short films, sound fragments and anything else they feel like using. Although their choreographies regularly take on a deeper resonance, Pinto and Pollak are always able to captivate the youngest members of the audience as well. Correspondingly, their earlier productions for Introdans have been received with huge enthusiasm – and a big smile on almost everyone’s face.
Dancers : Ruben Ameling, Aymeric Aude, Alexis Geddes, Merel Janssen, Elena Pampoulova, Vivian Sauerbreij, Mathieu Di Scala, Jamy Schinkelshoek,
Jurriën Schobben, Federico Tosello, Demi Verheezen, Alberto Villanueva Rodríguez.
What Good Would The Moon Be
The creations of Pinto and Pollak regularly contain references to the political situation in Israel, even though the duo doesn’t intentionally aim for this. In fact, they actually try to avoid it but, as they say, “the daily reality is simply a part of us.” And so their successful What Good Would The Moon Be refers to the ‘separating wall’ along the West Bank of the Jordan, which they see as reprehensible. But certainly not in a ‘heavy’ way. Inspired by the way their son Louie played with cardboard boxes, the duo takes the audience on an amazing journey full of slapstick-like scenes : walking boxes, four guys in one jacket, a sweet girl dancing with four hats, and so on. According to one review, the choreographer lets you “fly while you’re sitting on your seat.”
Distribution
Choreography Inbal Pinto & Avshalom Pollak
Music Ingrid Caven, La La La ; Pascal Comelade, Les Musiques Originales Et Les Dialogues De Jacques Tati, Moritat Von Mackie Messer, Clair De Lune A Pampelune ; Claude Debussy, Claire de lune ; Django Reinhardt & Stephane Grappelli, Honeysuckle Rose, Sweet Georgia Brown, Nuage ; Palast Orchester mit seinem Sänger Max Raabe und H. K. Gruber / Kurt Weill, What Good Would The Moon Be, It Never Was You ; John Zorn, Pendulum, Part One (Hot)
Sound, set and costume design Inbal Pinto & Avshalom Pollak
Lighting design Yoann Tivoli
Set made by Vorm & Decor
Costumes courtesy of Inbal Pinto & Avshalom Pollak Dance Company
Repetiteur Talia Beck
Ballet master Jorge Pérez Martínez
(excerpts from) Wrapped
Inbal Pinto received several awards for Wrapped, one of her first creations – including a prestigious American Bessie Award. At the time the press described the work by this Israeli choreographer as “a breath of fresh air.” In Wrapped she merges humour and poetry in a visually rich, imaginary world to create, as she says, an urban legend.
Distribution
Choreography Inbal Pinto
Music City Lights, Charlie Chaplin, the Music of his Film
Set, costume and lighting design Inbal Pinto
Set made by Helldorfer Lasbedrijf
Costumes made by Merlijn Koopman
Guest repetiteur Karin Lambrechtse
Repetiteur Jorge Pérez Martínez
Rushes (Dutch premiere)
The premiere ballet in this programme, Rushes, has been on artistic director Roel Voorintholt’s wish list for years. When creating this hit production Pinto and Pollak collaborated with the American dance theatre company Pilobus and Pilobus choreographer and founder Robby Barnett. The makers describe their work as ‘Jaques Tati meets Gogo and the Marx Brothers’. As a spectator you are constantly being wrong-footed : are you watching a comedy, tragedy, fantasy or mystery, or all four at one ? Whatever the case, Rushes presents a surrealistic kaleidoscope of moods in which inventiveness, hilarity, a phenomenal chair dance scene, magical film images and a moving love story form the most important ingredients. “Dance history was made,” wrote the New York Post after the premiere of Rushes.
Distribution
Choreography Inbal Pinto, Avshalom Pollak & Robby Barnett
Musics Eddie Sauter, Mickey Polka ; Miles Davis, Assassinat (Take 1) Visit De Vigile ; John Blow, The Act Tune ; Dukes of Dixieland, Big Noise From Winnetka ; Arvo Pärt, Spiegel Im Spiegel
Sound, set and costume design Inbal Pinto & Avshalom Pollak
Llighting design Yoann Tivoli
Set made by Peter van Ommen
Costumes made by Martine Douma
Guest repetiteur Dina Ziv
Repetiteur Jorge Pérez Martínez