Mathematics of Dance
This visually sophisticated and thoroughly modern work is a real treat for all fans of dance and performative arts; but, first and foremost, it is beauty in its purest form! The Cricoteka Centre for the Documentation of the Art of Tadeusz Kantor, the Krakow Festival Office and Nuremberg House have joined forces to host this unique event forming a part of the Year of the Avant-garde.
The Triadic Ballet, conceived by Oskar Schlemmer, is a touchstone work straight from the Bauhaus school. First shown in 1923, the spectacle is structured as a triad (three acts, three performers, twelve dances, eighteen costumes) and doesn’t follow a classical plot line. It was a reflection of the fascination with technological and mechanical progress of the day. The dancers, clad in abstract costumes combining the shapes of geometric and natural forms, recalled mechanical figures, while the highly rigorous dance arrangements represented mathematical sequences. All this makes the Triadic Ballet one of the most important experiments in early 20th-century European dance.
In 2014, Oskar Schlemmer’s masterpiece was reconstructed by the Bayerisches Staatsballett in collaboration with the Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin. The choreography, arranged by Gerhard Bohner, and the recreated costumes make it one of the most outstanding achievements of ballet arts of recent decades. We will have an opportunity to admire it for ourselves on 20 and 21 October at the ICE Kraków Congress Centre. Enchantment, fascination and surprises guaranteed!
(Justyna Skalska, "Karnet" magazine)
