Programme 2 - a Folia | Instantly Forever

With a Folia, Marco da Silva Ferreira will explore the notion of ecstasy, the joy and trance that can emerge from a moment of dance shared by a group. In Portugal, folia is a fast-paced, playful 16th-century folk dance originally performed by shepherds. The historical traces that mention it all speak of a festive atmosphere where everyone lets loose completely, free from social conventions linked to gender or class. It's this idea that interests the Portuguese choreographer, who seeks to translate it by mirroring Portuguese folia with the nightclub dances of our time.

Next, Petter Jacobsson and Thomas Caley start with Igor Stravinsky's Symphony in Three Movements. This late work by the Russian composer, written after he fled to the USA in 1941, stands out from his most famous works. From its rhythmic jazzy accents to the ghosts of war it conjures up, it is ideal material for dance today. It exudes a sense of imminent change, like the calm before a storm, or the tension before the arrival of a lover. As is often the case with Stravinsky's work, this is an unpredictable work. At least as unpredictable as the period in which it was written.