Review: 'Body and Soul' through Toronto's Harbourfront Centre
Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre, in partnership with Digidance, announce the exclusive Canadian film premiere of ‘Body and Soul’
I better state first once again that I have no formal background, training, or experience in neither the art of dance nor the study of dance.
Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean I can’t laud the tremendous production of the world premiere of Crystal Pite’s ‘Body and Soul’ now streaming online until February 23, 2021 through Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre.
I’m going to do so now and encourage you to see this extraordinarily sensual and visual presentation of epically profound impressions of the human spirit. I will include a YouTube link at the conclusion of this review.
Filmed live during November 2019 world premiere performance at Palais Garnier in Paris, ‘Body and Soul’ is a remarkably bold production of dazzling and intense choreographic movement meshed with a top notch, impressive sound design of the spoken word and harmonized with a richly designed panoply of lighting effects. This online Canadian premiere production is exquisite dance theatre.
From the press release, “‘Body and Soul’ is a work in three distinct parts which articulates Pite’s ongoing fascination with conflict, connectedness and the embodiment of the human spirit. The performance begins with voice-over text that describes, in purely physical terms, a scene of conflict between two individuals. As the performance progresses, the script’s meaning morphs and deepens with each iteration: conflict creates a vital, compelling tension between individuals, between groups, between species…”
And I never grew tired of watching this fascinating production, not one iota at all. Before the production began, there is a 15-minute pre-recorded exclusive interview with Crystal Pite and the Kidd Pivot creative team, all of whom contributed artistically to the creation of Body and Soul. I heartily recommend audiences listen closely to this interview as it helped me to clearly focus on what was presented.
There was one comment made from Ms. Pite during the interview which I had written down that still remains with me as I complete this review: “The theatre is a potent sacred space with hope for transformation and connection…” Not only did Ms. Pite’s comment make me miss attending live theatre productions (and I’ll also include dance and opera here, even though I have no formal training in either art form), but I could clearly see how this company of 36 artists fluidly worked with marvelous synchronicity and, at times, a breathless synergism which immediately connected me through the dancers’ outstretched arms. Truthfully, I might have thought that watching this production on a computer screen might make me feel distantly remote from the action, but that didn’t occur here at all. I watched with bated breath as many of the 36 artists with whom I could possibly connect on the screen. I can only imagine how strong that connection would have been for me if I had the opportunity to attend this production live.
I was completely gripped with the use of sharp angles film director Tommy Pascal gloriously captured with the dancers on screen in their connection to each other through the intertwining of bodies, arms and personal space. Every single bit of space on the stage was used to its’ furthest potential. Again, if I had the opportunity to see this production live, I’m sure the emotional intensity I experienced would have been heightened even more.
Final Comments: This ‘Body and Soul’ is an emotionally and sensually charged production of, at times, an electric and fiery connection of an intimate human spirit.
Completely enthralling.
Body and Soul: In Collaboration (2020)
With Crystal Pite (Choreography, Script) and her Kidd Pivot creative team: Owen Belton (Composer), Eric Beauchesne (Assistant Choreographer), Nancy Bryant (Costume Designer), Jay Gower Taylor (Set Designer), Jermaine Spivey (Assistant Choreographer) and Tom Visser (Lighting Designer)
Photo of the company by New Julien Benhamou: Opera National de Paris
FILM (82 minutes): Body and Soul (2019)
Produced by the Paris Opera Ballet, directed by Tommy Pascal. Choreographed by Crystal Pite and performed by the Paris Opera Ballet.
Link for tickets: www.harbourfrontcentre.com (Tickets $15 + applicable taxes)
For a preview of BODY AND SOUL, please click the YouTube link below: