One of the most important international contemporary dance forms, iconic creator Anne-Teresa de Keersmaeker returns to Herodedio with her team, the renowned Rosas, to present EXIT ABOVE AFTER THE STORM as part of the Epidaurus Festival in Athens.
The exclusive sponsor of the show is Piraeus, which this year begins an important partnership with the Epidaurus Festival in Athens and becomes a valuable companion and supporter of the country’s largest cultural institution. The performance will be accompanied by a special event / round table organized by the Festival and Piraeus on July 3rd at 20:00 at Piraeus 260, Area E.
For Piraeus, this partnership is a high-value initiative that further expands the Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility activities in the field of arts and culture. The aim of the bank is to maintain vibrant creative relations with the activities and people whose inspiration and work form the country’s modern cultural identity and contribute to Greece being at the forefront of international cultural development.
A few words about the show
COME UP – is a storm of movement after the storm, explosive choreography that combines marching with the blues, with 13 performers on stage and live music. With his unique talent for choreography, De Kersmacher connects dance with the history of Western pop music in the performance.
The work illuminates the community of ‘creating’ the blues, the sense of ‘oneness’ with a multi-collective, diverse, inclusive approach. The performers, although separate as individuals, are constantly “connected” × they are, after all, co-authors of the work. In this way, the everyday act of walking turns into a demanding choreography that gradually overwhelms the stage with its explosive energy.
In his new project, De Kirsmacher enlists sound magician Jean-Marie Erts, the crystalline voice and captivating performance of Ethiopian-born Flemish songwriter Meskerem Mais, and Brazilian blues dancer and guitarist Carlos Garbin. Premiering in May 2023, EXIT ABOVE has triumphed at every major festival in Europe (Avignon, Vienna, Rome) and won critical acclaim.
Who is Anne Theresa De Keersmacher?
Since her debut in the 1980s, Anne-Teresa De Keersmaeker has established herself as a leading figure in the “new Flemish dance” and, together with her group Rosas, has become an iconic figure on the world dance scene. His interest in the relationship between dance and music dates back to his first work, Fase, Four Movements to the Music of Steve Reich (1982) and is expressed through a dynamic dialogue that goes beyond the simple reflection of music in a dance structure. As this relationship develops over time, the choreographer often integrates the dancers and musicians into a common choreographic state. He has choreographed original works by Bach, Mozart and Steve Reich, among others.
In 1995, De Kirsmacher founded PARTS, one of the most important training institutions for contemporary dance, whose curriculum is in constant dialogue with contemporary artistic research and creativity. In 2014, he was awarded the “Golden Lion” at the Venice Biennale for his entire body of work.