On saturdaynight May 14th, Step x Step Dance was invited to the premiere of CREATURES. A piece created by ISH and the Ballet Ochestra. Welcomed by the smell of fresh food of the Rolling Kitchen festival (Rollende Keukens), a nice spring evening on the Westergas terrain suggested something magical was about to happen.
The ambiance of the venue is something so unusual. The old gas refinery dates from 1885 and is a gigantic robust building were one is seated on old wooden benches. The ambiance gives you that immediate sense of escapism. You’ve entered another world. Even during rehearsal it was already clear this CREATURES was going to be extraordinary.
The director Marco Gerris and musical duo Jan Pieter Koch & Joris Nassenstein have gone above and beyond to produce a fairytale. Shailesh, (who a real dance lover is familiar with by now) has such an organic and authentic way of creating and choreographing. He reaches deep inside himself to be the dancer he is and therefore what comes out has to hit deep inside the observer. The way Abdelhadi Baaddhi executed the moves was quite frankly a beautifully shocking contrast to the persona he portrayed in Funkish. The music reinforces this aspect. It is so otherworldly good and holds so much character. The orchestra was not holding back, almost as if they found another layer of their own creativity. A boldness stepping out of their comfort zone and on the stage while playing a repertoire containing anything from Claude Debussy, Mozart, to the Jurassic Park theme.
This magical world is definitely fit for children. From the classical melodies to the areal acrobatics and the undeniable conviction of the power moves, these unusual worlds have little in common but go so well together when done by the right people. Go see it because you love art, because you live for music or you simply love to celebrate life. The lighting alone will leave you in awe of what’s to come next. The entire collective can make you emotional at times as I experience tears coming down my face not once but twice. Without giving too much away it must be said the video- trailer didn’t do the show justice.
Greatness inspires greatness. At the very least greatness inspires self reflection and improvement. This truly is an hour of escapism. Let’s make so much of it, that we permanently occupy this state and just choose to call it life.
You still have a chance to see CREATURES on May 21st and 22nd.