Semâ, the name of the whirling dance of the dervishes, gives the title to this production by the Compagnie Linga.
Choreographers Katarzyna Gdaniec and Marco Cantalupo along with composer Mathias Delplanque and percussionist Philippe Foch play with the alchemy that is created through unprecedented artistic encounters, and with the living, ever-evolving interdependence between the dancer and the musician, the melody and the gesture, which mutually nourish each other in the flow of movement.
Open rehearsal at 18:00
Show at 20:30
Idea and choreography: Katarzyna Gdaniec and Marco Cantalupo
Original music: Mathias Delplanque, Philippe Foch
Performers: Martin Angiuli, Enzo Blond, Bonni Bogya, Aude-Marie Bouchard, András Engelmann, Lia Ujcic, Csaba Varga, Cindy Villemin
Lighting design: German Schwab
Costumes: Geneviève Mathier
A co-production: Compagnie Linga, l’Octogone – Théâtre de Pully
This tour is supported by Pro Helvetia – Swiss Arts Council and Corodis.
Compagnie Linga benefits from a funding agreement with the City of Pully, the City of Lausanne, and the Canton of Vaud.
Semâ, the latest creation from the Pully-based company, is a hypnotic reminder of the ceaseless movement of human planets(…). Choreographers Katarzyna Gdaniec and Marco Cantalupo create a piece of trance and alliance for eight magnificent performers from the four corners of Europe(…). Semâ plunges us into the experience of the paradoxical nature of the circle, inner and outer, “the necessary intermediary between the Same and the Other, the visible and the invisible”, according to Plato. But it is also a timeless symbol of togetherness and uniqueness that has always fascinated Linga’s choreographers.
In just over an hour, Semâ covers a range of movements, from the organic to the more sophisticated, such as a series of attitudes derived from genuflection. Regularly punctuating the piece, it is above all the gyratory dance derived from that of the whirling dervishes – a form of active meditation, of Sufi origin, leading to ecstasy – that continues to fascinate (…). The whirling, exultant bodies seduced the premiere audience, who stood up to a standing ovation at the Octogone on Friday.
Excerpts from Corinne Jaquiéry’s review
24heures Lausanne, 29.04.2023
In 1992, Katarzyna Gdaniec and Marco Cantalupo realized their desire for independence and creativity by founding Compagnie Linga (a symbol of fertility in Hinduism). With the support of the City of Pully, the City of Lausanne, the Canton of Vaud, and Pro Helvetia – Swiss Arts Council, they became associated artists at the Octogone, Théâtre de Pully/Lausanne (CH), where they have been in residence since 1993. They have developed a space dedicated to choreographic research, staging a physical, sensual, and powerful dance that explores the influence of political and social situations on the body.
Creating one or two productions per year, they quickly established their repertoire on the Swiss and international scene, becoming one of the most dynamic independent companies in the country. As such, they are invited to the most important contemporary dance events.
International collaborations: Opera of Lausanne, Dresden, Florence, Ankara, Mannheim National Theatre, Portugal National Ballet, Avenches Opera Festival, TV ARTE, WDR Orchestra.
Awards: 2019, Flow received the “Current Dance Works Award” at the Swiss Dance Awards 2019 (CH); 2017, Katarzyna Gdaniec received the Polish Artist Prize (ZASP) and the Culture Award of the city of Gdansk (PL); 2015, Danzatalenti Prize (Genoa, IT); 2012, Grand Prix de la Fondation Vaudoise pour la Culture; 2001, Prix Jeunes Créateurs Danse from the Fondation Vaudoise for the promotion and creation of artistic works; 1995, Choreography Contest Hannover (DE); 1995, Léonide Massine Prize in Positano (IT).
In 2022, Compagnie Linga celebrates its 30th anniversary.
