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Sol León & Paul Lightfoot: Safe as Houses. 29.11.2017, Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT 1) at Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Berlin.

I Ching or Book of Changes, the oldest of the Chinese classics, an ancient text of divination and a foundation and inspiration for so many works of modern dance, is here transfigured into an impression of swoops and curves, black calligraphic lines on a turning white page, bright, white flecks of light. Pulled from 2001, this work of León and Lightfoot’s — created, significantly, prior to their appointment as in-house choreographers at NDT — is structured by eight dancers, that is, eight constantly redrawn lines, three decisive musical scores, two yin yang energies, and one endlessly spinning wall.

Enlarging our vision beyond the usual borders of the human world dance inhabits, we sense a grappling with questions which lie apart: time is shifted, gathered up, and spread, space lies symmetrically here, asymmetrically there. The physical beauty is so clear, so precise, so intentional, so balanced, so plainly palpable the writer forgets her pen; she doesn’t even notice the spectacular silk walls fall to the ground — « captivation » claims new meaning.

Unfolding crumpling expanding diminishing minutes seconds centuries.