LOVETRAIN2020

20/20 vision is certainly a bonus as LOVETRAIN2020 is a visual feast steeped in 80s references. Tom Bradley’s costumes channelling an inner Vivienne Westwood. The whole looking like Adam and the Ants and the gang from Ultravox at a wrap party for a Derek Jarman movie in The Blitz. [...] It’s all sumptuously gorgeous.

Originally, only one performance was planned, but tickets sold out so quickly that a second show was scheduled for the same evening. [...] Once again, his 13-member ensemble is breathtaking. Pure joy of life spills over the stage. [...] The guest performance of Lovetrain 2020 is a complete success: standing ovations and cheers in a packed hall.

Fourteen magnificent bodies that can instantly shift from statuary solemnity to uncontrollable outbursts, often filled with a terrible and sensual sweetness, which is also one of the characteristics of this performance, where soft lighting alternates with sharp, dramatic flashes. [...] The audience was certainly never bored, thanks to the skill of a company that received real ovations.

Dancers are as unique as their variegated garb: my eyes keep lighting on one in particular but I can’t name him. Covered in tattoos, he has the supplest arms. And a direct gaze. Many come forward to front stage and look at us openly, trying to make eye contact, inviting a communion with them, perhaps.

There’s the sense of controlled madness, that things could erupt at any moment, like a revolution waiting to be ignited. [...] It’s a reminder of the essential pleasures of dance, of the body’s expressive potential, of belonging to a tribe but also of being an individual. [...] Gat revels in using every inch of the stage, and gives the dancers license to move with total abandon. If only we could all let loose in this way.

First, we highlight the emphasis Emanuel Gat places on developing a collective and powerful dance through the exceptional quality of his fourteen dancers, [...] each performer expresses themselves with asynchronous and distinct gestures, creating additional rhythms alongside the original soundtrack. [...] The overall visual effect is one of intense energy and vibrancy!

A promise of joy, a sparkling treat amidst the heavy, serious moments of everyday life. [...] The performance represents a peaceful confrontation between mainstream spectacle and singular experimentation, with the audience finding themselves immersed in it, expressing their appreciation with joyful, complicit applause.

Highly anticipated, LOVETRAIN2020 [...] did not disappoint. Refined, complex, but also generous and popular, this remarkable success offers a lyrical and baroque reflection on the dialectic of the group and the individual. [...] A Thing of Beauty, this new piece by Emanuel Gat marks both a major turning point in his creation and a delightful moment of pleasure for those who witness it.

The collective of the choreographer's dancers presents a dance seto to the English band's hits that is a joyful, raucous and sometimes calm whirlwind of sequences that fade into one another. The result? A breathtaking modern bacchanal that leaves no space to breathe apart from moments in which the music suddenly stops and the silence [...] offers up a meditative pause.

One man skitters across the stage, holding up the edges of his long skirt like a Tudor lady-in-waiting rushing to assist his Queen, only to slide on the floor, aided by the skirt’s silky surface. Then he sashays off, into one of a series of doorways or portals that line the rear of the stage. [...] And as this happens, and the faces of the dancers open up, the audience finds itself drawn into their hazy, eccentric, jagged euphoria.

Emanuel Gat's choreographic art appears effortless, almost as if randomly assembled on stage, even though his pieces undoubtedly follow a dramaturgical structure. Yet, they do not seek grandeur or make any claims beyond presenting dancing individuals, each with their own distinct energy. [...] The audience at the Staatstheater Darmstadt rose to give a long and enthusiastic applause.

Anyone who thinks contemporary dance is difficult to understand might reconsider. Because when faced with a performance by Emanuel Gat, indifference is impossible. It’s true: the narrative is less obvious than in classical ballet, and the imagery can seem more cryptic. Yet the beauty that pervades the stage is so overwhelming that it moves you—without you even knowing why.

A standout performance from Michael Loehr, whose infectious joy for dancing is palpable. His mischievous and playful presence is especially evident in a stunning duet with Robert Bridger, where their bodies create a perfect harmony. He also delivers a striking and intense moment in another duet with Eglantine Bart, where the music reverberates deeply. Finally, he shines alone in a charismatic solo, full of charm and energy.

In the end, there is nothing but sheer excitement—the audience stands, clapping rhythmically, while the dancers repeatedly rush to the edge of the stage to receive their ovation. In the background, "Sowing the Seeds of Love" by Tears for Fears is still pumping. "Lovetrain2020" has rolled through Hannover’s opera house. [...] One immediately wants to buy the next ticket.

There was not a singular, designated interpretation of the choreography. The meaning of the production could only be determined by the audience themselves. [... It] was an embodiment of experiences out of Emanuel’s control, but also a complete pandemonium from individuals who breathed life across the stage.

The piece sets off on a wild chase, sweeping everything in its path. Gat seems to have concentrated the best of his choreographic research. [...] The health crisis has obviously disrupted the company’s plans. The tour, truncated, should resume in the fall. Another energy will emerge after these delays. But the essence is here: a group piece with expanded horizons.

Gat’s choreography for LOVETRAIN2020 [...] seductively uncovers added dimensions to the Tears for Fears songbook. [...] All around, Gat’s company of 14 eclectic dancers [...] are spectacular. Thankfully, the choreographer gives each of them permission to shine in their individual modes of dance.

The 75-minute show was met with standing ovations from part of the audience. [...] Two highlights stood out: during Mad World, bodies twitched in sorrowful despair, while near the end, the ensemble reached another peak of brilliance with a more intricate and electrifying choreography set to Shout (Let It All Out).

A bombastic, touching, and enchanting flood of images, fantastic music exclusively by the British New Wave band Tears For Fears, and fourteen fantastic dancers – at the end of LOVETRAIN2020 [...] there were standing ovations in the Grand Hall of the Theater Freiburg. [...] Rarely does an ensemble appear so alive and spontaneous. [...] A magical experience – and thus, a fantastic season opener for dance.

One could easily become addicted to Bregenzer Frühling and feel compelled to see every contemporary dance performance at the Festspielhaus. [...] At the fourth performance, the multinational dancers of Emanuel Gat Dance Company from Marseille captivated the audience with Lovetrain 2020. [...] Standing Ovations.

The group’s flamboyant ensemble takes on almost Botticellian qualities, with a highly pictorial tendency to glorify the moving bodies. [...] Traversing different temporalities, with no definitive end, LOVE TRAIN 2020 skillfully celebrates both the permanence of the world and what it means to be present.

This Love Train moves in the direction of endless possibilities through its movement and sound. On this celebrated evening, it undoubtedly also carries a profound political message. If all goes as planned, this train hasn't left yet and is heading to the field where the seeds of love are being planted, with this vibrant and eccentric dance piece.

The six female dancers and four male dancers fully embody the music, moving in staggered patterns, sometimes shaping their gestures into alphabet-like postures that accompany and comment on the solos or duets in the foreground—yet in a secret, joyful language. [...] A beautiful choreography of the return to life.

At the Teatro delle Muse in Ancona, the music of Tears For Fears blends perfectly with the choreographic structures of Emanuel Gat. [...] The powerful and visionary performance was met with an enthusiastic response from the audience, who expressed their appreciation with uninterrupted applause, both for the individual performers and for the choreographer himself.

“Lovetrain2020” was marvelous, a rambunctious yet rigorously staged piece for 14 dancers, set to tracks by the British pop group Tears for Fears. [...] “Lovetrain2020” is everything the small-scale, often somber work made for video during the past months is not. It’s loud, joyous, physical, close. [... A celebration] of the body, of performance, of life.

In Lovetrain2020, his piece created just before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the bubbling and joyful collective energy that emerges is born from a myriad of individual actions and interactions between the dancers, as if agreements or tensions develop only to later find a resolution. These movements, which animate the group without threatening its cohesion, could almost serve as a manifesto for living together.

A fabulous choreographic fireworks display powered by a troupe of luminous and extraordinary dancers. [...] LOVETRAIN2020 is truly great Gat, a grandiose and hypnotic show, a performance at the crossroads of the arts to be savored without moderation. The Montpellier audience was [...] standing well before the last note resonated, they applauded wildly. Hats off to the artists, and long live Dance!

The relentless energy of the choreography creates an immersive world where the dancers seem to chase and play with each other in a surreal landscape. They simultaneously embrace and compete, caught in a dynamic struggle for focus and dominance. The performance brims with emotions—sorrow, anger, joy, desire—each dancer appearing to strive for control over the stage.

Throughout the performance, the dancers exude joy and playfulness, transmitting an infectious sense of freedom to the audience. The work becomes not just an ode to love but also to the sheer, exuberant pleasure of dancing. [...] The energy is so immersive that it’s impossible not to be swept away.[...] The performance could have gone on all night.

Exaggeratedly put: A wild party where the lights keep going out and people shed their evening attire while rocking out—this is "Lovetrain 2020" at the festival in Pfalzbau. The immense presence of the Emanuel Gat Dance Ensemble, set to the sound of the 80s, strikes a chord with the audience, who jump to their feet in cheers.

A true ray of sunshine, LOVETRAIN2020 was met with a triumphant ovation, its vibrant and magnetic energy offering a much-needed escape from the realities of the pandemic. [...] LOVETRAIN2020 is a masterful blend of influences. [...] A mesmerizing choreographic fusion—one that erupts in the grand finale to the electrifying Sowing the Seeds of Love.

Emanuel Gat brings us closer to a simple and accessible experience, thanks to the exceptional talent of the fourteen performers—each with distinct styles and movement qualities. The male dancers, in particular, leave the audience speechless with their solos, showcasing unique stylistic and technical explorations that greatly enrich the ensemble.

Two sections stand out for their genuine response to the music and their original, creative choreography: Mad World, which featured a thrilling extended solo from Abel Rojo, whose speed, control and musicality were outstanding, and an intelligent, inventive treatment of Shout, led powerfully by Michael Loehr.

There is never a dull moment. Every segment feels tonally and stylistically different, while remaining cohesive as a greater piece. [...] This is a deeply unusual and contemporary performance. It plays with the very essence of how we see dance, and musicals, but in a way which feels accessible and thrillingly taboo.

"Choreographing is like making a pizza," says Emanuel Gat. "It’s about finding the right balance between the ingredients: dough, tomatoes, and mozzarella." So, according to this comparison, Emanuel Gat is an exceptional pizzaiolo, judging by Lovetrain 2020 [...] which took place at the Fonderie Limone for Torinodanza.

The scenes at times evoke old master paintings with their striking contrasts of light and shadow. The dancers form tableaux of sculptural refinement—only to unleash a wild energy that practically leaps off the stage. [...] One simply cannot get enough of this fabulous troupe. [...] An intoxicating dance celebration and a tribute to the body.

All of our minds are populated by stories, images, and figures from legends, fairy tales, operas, Hollywood, and Bollywood. [...] Emanuel Gat's "Lovetrain2020" is now an invitation to dive into the opulence of our personal archives. [... Gat says] the piece is unconsciously undermined by iconic images. "I am the first one to be amazed by it." And we marvel with him.

Originally scheduled for just one evening, Saturday, the 7:30 PM performance sold out quickly, prompting a late show at 10:00 PM. [...] Still, it's a shame there are no additional performances. Large companies from such a renowned choreographer as Emanuel Gat are still too rare to see in Berlin.

The well-known track Shout, for example, is a solo by Michael Loehr, one of the most beautiful in the entire work. [...] In my mind, I had already envisioned an imaginary carnival of bodies without order or measure, capable of bringing down the theater. [...] Instead, a dancer takes up space and remains alone, confronting the invisible by themselves.

A mad whirlwind for 14 dancers of diverse backgrounds, dressed in baroque costumes and moving with fluid gestures. [...] Perhaps this is Emanuel Gat’s grace: the reason why leading companies in France and beyond invite him to create. He gives his performers space—their talent, their impulses. The result is generous, dynamic, and often deeply moving.

This Love Train is sometimes crossed by a certain melancholy. [...] Tender love or troubled love coexist between light and shadow... And Emanuel Gat delights us for an hour and ten minutes with a dance where the collective strength of the troupe does not overshadow the talent of each performer, sculpted by the choreography.

Despite its quieter moments, LOVETRAIN2020 was a loud, contemporary triumph, steeped in the irresistible charm of an era when things seemed flamboyant and free. Emanuel Gat has successfully paved the way for today's high brow culture to learn from the unbridled maximalism of the past, synths, smoke machines and all.

With their breathtaking performance "Lovetrain2020," they take the audience on an emotional journey through the power of love and human connection. [...] Emanuel Gat's choreography is characterized by a fluid and organic movement language, allowing the dancers to express their individual strengths and personalities.

To pick a highlight in the work is difficult as there is so much collective ownership of it from the ensemble. The push and pull of the dancers as they transition between solos, small groups and the full company is generally satisfying. However, a solo to ‘Famous Last Words’ into an ensemble frolic to ‘Sowing the Seeds of Love’ is a moment of genius.

At Bregenzer Frühling, dance performances are regularly presented that inspire awe. [...] However, this does not necessarily always lead to spontaneous standing ovations that call the performers back to the stage multiple times— as was the case with the Austrian premiere of Lovetrain2020 by Emanuel Gat Dance at the Bregenz Festspielhaus.