LARGO

In captivating duets, many colors and nuances of the relationship between man and woman can be seen, with Bjørnsgaard far from resorting to clichés, instead circling around roles and narrative patterns. Just as [...] approaches and rejections, empathy and egomania, aggression and devotion, struggle and cuddling alternate, so is the search for form in the dancers, the reflection of their actions, and the immersion into their inner world through body expression also co-formulated.

The Norwegian choreographer Ingun Bjørnsgaard presents herself with her world premiere in the intellectual and cultural tradition of her Scandinavian homeland. The result is a dreamlike evening of dance that explores the question of reality. [...] The seemingly abstract choreography, with its wonderfully diffuse or surreal (body) images, initially draws the audience into inner human worlds of longing, dreams, sorrow, and death.

The piece is demanding, occasionally enigmatic, and at times not without intellectual brilliance. […] When, in the end, the walls open—revealing all sorts of questionable isolations and relationship constellations concerning men and women—while a dancer staggers alone into the darkness in the foreground, it is anything but devoid of symbolism.

The piece starts subdued, until then – to triumphant Baroque music – the ensemble forms rows, jumps, spins, and curves, while the colleagues glide through in between. It's one of the highly dynamic moments that the piece is rich in. [...] Particularly striking are Maria Walser and Michael Loehr, Sunju Kim between Miroslaw Zydowicz and Tom Bünger, and Pin-Chieh Chen.

The dancers' performance is outstanding. They execute the high-level choreography, demanding lifts, balances, and jumps with incredible ease. Additionally, the stage design, music, and storyline blend so beautifully that the audience is completely captivated from the first to the last second.

How was the world premiere of the piece Largo, created especially for Tanztheater Bremen and Tanzcompagnie Oldenburg? Well, the dancers' skill was impressive – and the less the movement artists obeyed the fascinating sound collage of Baroque music and harsh metallic modern sounds, the more intensely it claimed its space.

Ingun Bjørnsgaard comes from a ballet background and later attended the Martha Graham School in New York. She unites both traditions in a movement language that is highly sporty and athletic, featuring not only elegant lines but also powerful jumps and lifts. […] What is truly impressive is how the dancers master this technically and physically demanding choreography.