SPEEDLESS

"Speedless" strikes the same chord – reflecting society. To the monotonous chord progressions of Steve Reich, the now ten-member ensemble moves like machines: in unison, always identically. Until one can no longer keep up.[...] The choreographic qualities that had already captivated audiences in Osnabrück are now something the people of East Westphalia can enjoy as well – and they did, wholeheartedly.

The "Speedless" finale of the evening powerfully depicted, through pure abstraction, humanity's relentless struggle to conquer the clock that governs its existence. [...] In the premiere, Gregor Zöllig presented a dance group that impressed with ensemble scenes of classical balance and subtle expressiveness. [...] This dance theater, in this form, is bound to receive significant attention beyond the region in the future.

Zöllig tells stories, as in the final piece, SPEEDLESS, a seemingly hopeless race against time. Not too abstract or even academic, but close to the viewer’s emotions. Everyday props are placed in new contexts, where they gain a new kind of magic. The ensemble doesn’t hold back. They perform with immense energy, building up to a crescendo-like finish. The people are obsessed with what they are doing. And they do it damn well.

Zöllig powerfully demonstrates that modern dance theater is capable of penetrating societal realities, and does so in a very down-to-earth, comprehensible way, without intellectual overload. [...] The hustle and bustle of daily life, the demand for more efficiency and productivity, is brought to the stage in "Speedless" in a fast-paced, dynamic sequence. [...] The fantastic ensemble pushes the limits of the physically possible.