BAM hosts the New York premiere of Ballet Preljocaj’s apocalyptic “And then, one thousand years of peace” this week (photo © JC Carbonne)
BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
30 Lafayette Ave. between Ashland Pl. & St. Felix St.
November 7-9, $20-$55, 7:30
718-636-4100
www.bam.org
www.preljocaj.org
Ten years ago, Ballet Preljocaj performed Near Life Experience, an exploration of the body’s endless sensations. Now French choreographer Angelin Preljocaj brings his 2010 creation, And then, one thousand years of peace, to BAM, an evening-length journey into life and death courtesy of the apocalypse. “A fertile source of interpretation, the very word Apocalypse (from the Greek apo: ‘to lift’ and calypsis: veil’) evokes the idea of revealing, unveiling, or highlighting elements that could be present in our world but are hidden from our eyes. It should thus evoke what is nestled in the innermost recesses of our existence, rather than prophesizing about compulsive waves of catastrophe, irreparable destruction, or the imminent end of the world,” Preljocaj explains. “When dance, the art of the indescribable par excellence, assumes the role of the developer (in the photographic sense), is it not most able to realize this delicate function of exposing our fears, anxieties, and hopes? Dance relentlessly highlights the entropy of molecules programmed in the memory of our flesh that heralds the Apocalypse of bodies. It stigmatises our rituals and reveals the incongruity of our positions, be they of a social, religious or pagan nature.” The piece features twenty-one dancers moving in costumes by Igor Chapurin to music by DJ Laurent Garnier, along with Scan X mixes incorporating Benjamin Rippert and Beethoven. The set design, which includes inventive architectural elements, is by Subodh Gupta, with lighting by Cécile Giovansili-Vissière. Last month, the New York City Ballet presented the world premiere of Preljocaj’s Spectral Evidence, a dazzling work about the Salem Witch Trials, leaving fans hungry for more. And then, one thousand years of peace, a collaboration with the Bolshoi, should provide a visual and aural feast. Performances take place at BAM’s Howard Gilman Opera House November 7-9 at 7:30; in addition, company member Julien Thibault will teach a special class for experienced and professional dancers on November 8 at 12 noon ($25) at the Mark Morris Dance Center.