Sanctus - Rehearsal
Created for the Norwegian National Ballet Summer School 2021.
The piece was formulated as a study in weight sharing and counterbalance in order to be a focused learning experience for the dancers. The choreographic material was built upon a series of simple exercises that expanded their proprioception, in terms of transferring weight whilst supporting their partner, as well as giving their own weight to their partner. Starting with more intuitive points of contact for weight sharing such as using the hands or torso, evolved into using more challenging points, such as the top of the head or neck crevice.
The structure of the music, with its sustained notes and pronounced pauses between phrases, allowed the dancers more time to find a greater sense of depth, poise and resistance within the movements and moments of stillness. When combined with the religious feeling of the music, the piece developed into a journey where the giving and taking of weight became synonymous with a transference and sharing of spiritual struggle.