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Bruno Beltrão / Grupo de Rua: INOAH. 27.08.2018. Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Tanz im August, Berlin.

There is only so much that a strong, male performance can satisfy, and yes, this is a very provocative statement. 

A ray of light crosses the right part of the stage at the beginning of the piece, a deep hum of an interference sound accompanies the first rather angular movement sequences of an ambulant duet, to culminate in an endless wave-like back and forth of a total of ten male dancers.

An incredibly intriguing movement vocabulary involving very low near-horizontal jumps onto the side of the torso, involving tumble rolls ending in an intermittent headstand for fleeting moments, involving an absolutely gobsmacking lightness which all dancers seem to inhabit whilst travelling through space dressed in light, elegant unicoloured kilts or robes – all this dissective referencing of the breakdance world and their particular, say, embryonic preparational body position which occurs and re-occurs throughout the show INOAH, just can not wash away the sensation that something important is amiss: dramaturgy – audience consideration, layers of meaning, a sense for stage time.

The rather unique, inhibited breakdance style does provoke a new term: „Boy, Interrupted” in reference to Johanna Kaysen’s famous novel „Girl, Interrupted”, and thereby a level of appreciation for the treated subject of difficult political issues in home country Brasil which I did supply with claps and whistles.

Ovating: yes – standing: no.