ROUND ONE
Created for the Loris Petrillo Program: SPECIFIC. Premiered at Compagnia Petrillo Danza, 2024
ASSISTANT TO THE CHOREOGRAPHER
Giovanna Perdichizzi
PERFORMED BY
Aby Koshy Biju, Anna Jablonski, Clarice Franco Ferreira Vilas Boas, Anastasia Georgakopoulou, Ezora Bouneau, Catarina Ramos Nunes, Andrea Carcamo Cortese, Dinu Corminboeuf, Miren Castro Sanchez, Lola Benedetti, Filomena Di Gennaro, Lucile Bourrin, Mar Trinidad Fernandez, Zoe Samuelov, Neal Verschelde, Maitane Jimenez Hernando, Maja Gancarczyk, Ema Guidi Rebelo , Julia Heuty, Luis Texis, Margherita De Pieri , Lucia González Pérez, Sara Pellegrini, Coline Duréault, Astrik Harutyunyan, Giulia Morandi, Laura Font Salvà
MUSIC
Wonderful Illusion, Eartha Kitt & Because, Gary McFarland edited by Greta Rodorigo.
LIGHT
Giovanna perdichizzi
COSTUMES
Fay van Baar, in collaboration with the dancers
This choreography draws inspiration from Roger Caillois' book Man, Play and Games, which categorizes play into four fundamental forms: Agôn (competition), Alea (chance), Mimicry (imitation), and Ilinx (vertigo). These forms served as the foundation for creating movement and structuring the piece.
The dancers explored these modes of play through improvisation, guided tasks, and set material. The piece begins with a competitive game, where a line of dancers races to cross the stage as quickly as possible, embodying the spirit of Agôn. In the next section, Alea is introduced through a card-drawing exercise, where movement prompts dictated the dancers' choices, bringing an element of chance into the choreography. Toward the end, Ilinx is expressed as two women attempt extreme balances and headstands, evoking a sense of disorientation and thrill.
The group of artists brought an incredibly welcoming and playful energy to the process, making the concept a natural fit. Their openness allowed the exploration of these ideas to feel both authentic and vibrant, resulting in a piece that celebrates the joy, complexity, and universality of play.