About the performance:
UP is an enigmatic state inspiring immediate enthusiasm. In this new choreography six amazing men dance a dynamic lifting vocabulary with raw energy to exhilarating result. UP presents an intelligent approach to altitude combining quirky efficiency and nonchalant spectacle. A choreographically well built, physically challenging and demanding contemporary dance performance that awakens the audience to the theme of elevating the spirit. Using influences of male action and reaction, rhythm and risk and emphasising virtuosity and originality, UP promises a purely uplifting experience. The aesthetic challenge is designing lifts with an emphasis on evident male strength, effortlessness and grace, entrancing the audience with the power and skill required to achieve these feats. The virtuosity and originality of these lifts defies the preexisting hackneyed vocabulary of lifting in both classical and contemporary dance. UP consciously opts for an aesthetic approach to elevation combining quirky efficiency and nonchalant spectacle. UP is a deliberately loaded title choice. UP directly refers to the movement material which it incorporates, but also the potential for a positive state of mind; a promise for a purely uplifting experience. Our ambition with UP is to create an optimistic work stimulating the audience into appreciating what they have experienced. A choreographically well built, physically challenging and demanding contemporary dance performance that in its construction, theme and content, awakens them to interacting with the surrounding humanity and environment as they leave the theatre. Ideally, the audience walks out smiling skywards to the stars.
About the choreographers:
József Trefeli is Australian of Hungarian origins, graduate of the VCA Melbourne University, József dances 3 years in Australia before beginning his travels to discover the world. Geneva, Switzerland has been József’s home since 1996.
On 6 continents, more than 40 countries, József has achieved critical acclaim for his many and varied dance performances and numerous choreographic works. The diverse range of styles in which József choreographs include contemporary dance, cabaret, theatre, musical comedy, and opera. József has proven his ability to create solo work as easily as directing and choreographing casts of up to 50. József Trefeli has also danced for the companies Skree Wolf, Greffe, Drift, Utilité Publique, Philippe Saire, and Da Motus, and has acted in two plays with the Company Korpüs Animüs.
The József Trefeli Company was founded in 2005 for a commission to choreograph for the Association for Contemporary Dance (ADC) in Geneva. His creations have toured in Australia, Central America, Africa, Europe and Switzerland. József teaches classes and workshops to amateurs, professional dancers, and dance companies.
Compagnie József Trefeli is achieving critical acclaim with its latest production of JINX 103, which will be also performed on October 28th in Plovdiv.
Born in Cardiff, Wales, Mike Winter has an atypical path as a choreographer and dancer. After having followed a first career in the world of International Finance and I.T. Mike received a scholarship from the deceased Diana, Princess of Wales (the President of the English National Ballet from 1989 to 1997) and was thus able to develop his hidden talent.
Since graduating from Laban Trinity London with a BA and MA in Dance Theatre he has lived and worked internationally and has been based in Switzerland since 1997. Mike continues to work and travel extensively as an independent performer, choreographer and teacher in the domains of dance, theatre, opera and circus both for companies and his own solo work. He has collaborated in over 50 new works with artists including Wendy Houstoun, Omar Porras, Stuart Hopps, Philippe Saire, Nicole Seiler, Robert Bouvier, Guilherme Botelho, Kylie Walters, Vasco Wellenkamp, Carmen Werner, Ursula Meier, Rui Horta, Claude Brumachon, Yolande Snaith, Lea Anderson, Stephan Koplowitz.
Under the pseudonym of Mister Winter, he has been notably associated with Lloyd Newson, the late Pina Bausch, Marina Abramovic and Sean Kelly Gallery, New York.In 2016 , Mister Winter will annonce the launch of his much anticipated The Belief Series, an ambitiuos dance-theatre trilogy in collaboration with the Catholic Church / Vatican City. Mister Winter is currently touring Europe with the Israelian prima-ballerina Talia Paz in the acclaimed duo of the late Nigel Charnock, Haunted by the Future.
The seats are without a specific number. All seats are located on the stage.
Duration: 60 min
Concept & choreography: József Trefeli & Mike Winter
Dance: Gyula Cserepes, Leif Firnhaber, Dávid Mikó, Amaury Reot, Carl Staaf, Mike Winter
Music: Charles Mugel
Lighting technician: Victor Hunziker
Costume: Toni Teixeira
Administration: Cie József Trefeli, Laure Chapel, Paquis Production
Diffusion: Lilla Eredics
Co-production & residency: Association co-production & residency : Association pour la Danse Contemporaine – adc Geneva, Switzerland, Pôle Sud CDC Strasbourg, Théâtre du Marché aux Grains, Bouxwiller, France ; SüdPol Luzern, Switzerland
Residency : Théâtre Sevelin 36 Lausanne, Switzerland
Funding bodies: DC Département de la Culture of the City of Geneva, Loterie Romande, the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia, Pour-cent culturel Migros, Ernst Göhner Stiftung, Fonds des Intermittents, SSA 2014 sponsorship for choreography, with the support of the Swiss Dance Collection – video documentation prize.
A project in cooperation with: the adc-Genève, Dampfzentrale Bern, Teatro Dimitri Verscio, eviDanse, Südpol Luzern, Théâtre du Passage Neuchâtel, Performa Festival Losone, Tanz in Winterthur, Rote Fabrik Zürich, Théâtre Sévelin 36 Lausanne in the framework of fonds des programmateurs / Reso-Réseau Danse Suisse.
With the support of: Pro Helvetia, Ernst Göhner Stiftung.
Pictures: © Gregory Batardon
The performance of UP is part of „Dance connected – establishing capacity for strengthening and diversifying the Bulgarian contemporary dance scene“ is а project by One Foundation for Culture and Art that was approved for funding by the Bulgarian-Swiss Cooperation Programme, under the Block Grant Scheme of the Partnership Fund-“Partnership and Expert Fund” (TF PF).
