Norway's winter guests close DanceHouse season with poignant Story, story, die., June 22 and 23
Personal anecdotes and pop-culture references speak directly to our times
Post Sponsored by DANCEHOUSE
Story story die. Photo by Mats-Bäcker
DanceHouse presents the West Coast premiere of winter guests’ evocative Story, story, die. on June 22 and 23 at the Vancouver Playhouse.
The season-closing production by the contemporary-dance company is choreographed by artistic director Alan Lucien Øyen, who’s been hailed as one of Norway’s most pioneering artists, constantly challenging dance and theatre traditions.
Through cinematic staging and poignant spoken word, Story, story, die. is a thought-provoking look at the brutal cost of today’s social rituals, built around need and narcissism. The company examines the interdependency between lies and love, and the things we do to present a more likeable version of ourselves to the world. The work draws from the performers’ real-life experiences, oscillating between the concrete and abstract, mixing hyper-detailed choreography with spoken text.
Story, story, die. made its world premiere in Oslo, Norway at Dansens Hus, the country’s prestigious national dance stage, in May 2019. The 90-minute work is an in-depth exploration of humanity’s relentless search for approval from our peers, complicated through the all-consuming role of social media.
Øyen has created more than 40 projects and commissions since 2004. In 2006, Øyen founded winter guests to create a range of highly emotional interdisciplinary works including plays, contemporary dance works and hybrid performances, mixing dance with text and movement with actors. Inspired by interactions with strangers, personal anecdotes, and pop-culture references, each work is formed in collaboration with its performers.
DanceHouse is asking for the public’s support in continuing to present such prestigious international dance in their Dedicated to Dance fundraising campaign, running until June 30, 2022.
Find tickets and more information here.
Post sponsored by DanceHouse.