SLOW BURN

William Forsythe is undisputedly one of the most important dance creators of our time. The reference point and characteristic feature of his Blake Works V (The Barre Project) is the eponymous ballet barre placed on stage, which simultaneously creates the illusion of infinity by reaching far into the wings. “The Barre Project” was conceived at the height of the pandemic as an homage to the legions of dancers who, while holding on to any available piece of domestic furniture, attempted to sustain their professional abilities with at-home barre exercises. The piece was created via Zoom meetings and first broadcast in 2021. Since then, this production has inspired a number of adaptations of this work for the stage, including the version which will be performed in Hamburg: Blake Works V (The Barre Project). Forsythe's choreography is a must for all fans of classical ballet, as it combines the grace of form and the unbridled joy of dance.

"Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror." This quote by Rainer Maria Rilke fascinates choreographer Aszure Barton due to the connection between the two extremes. Joy and pain are just two sides of the same coin. In her world premiere Slow Burn for the Hamburg Ballet, the choreographer places two women at the center, contrasting them with large ensemble scenes. Barton sees wisdom, strength, and patience in older women as an often overlooked force in our society. The dance is set to a new composition for a large orchestra by Ambrose Akinmusire, which will particularly captivate film music fans. For the costumes of Slow Burn, designer Michelle Jank drew inspiration from the rich opera and ballet stock costumes of the Hamburg State Opera. In line with the concept of "working with what's there," she used discarded costumes and fabrics and transformed them into new creations.