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Ballet Preljocaj tests gravity in first Dallas appearance in 27 years

Ballet Preljocaj in "骋谤补惫颈迟茅"
Jean-Glaude Carbonne
Ballet Preljocaj in "骋谤补惫颈迟茅"

Ballet choreography often sets out to defy gravity or at least hide it from view. Modern dance, on the other hand, tends to acknowledge its inevitable downward trajectory. Trained in both disciplines, Angelin Preljocaj plays with these opposing forces as a commentary on the human condition in 骋谤补惫颈迟茅, a 2018 work to be performed in his company鈥檚 first appearance in the TITAS/Dance Unbound series in 27 years.

With a pastiche score ranging from Bach, Ravel and Shostakovich to Philip Glass and Daft Punk, the 80-minute piece veers dynamically between kinetic and slow, deliberate movement, a la modern choreography pioneer Merce Cunningham, to study the ways in which ballet toys with gravity.

Ballet Preljocaj in "骋谤补惫颈迟茅"
Jean-Glaude Carbonne
Ballet Preljocaj in "骋谤补惫颈迟茅"

Founded in 1984, Ballet Preljocaj is now based at a national choreographic center in Aix-en-Provence, France. In that time, its namesake founder and artistic director has made more than 60 works, the extensively touring company of 30 dancers performing 120 shows a year. As TITAS director Charles Santos says in a promotional video, 鈥淭hey bring the cool factor to ballet.鈥

Details

Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m. at Moody Performance Hall. Tickets at .

Arts Access is an arts journalism collaboration powered by The Dallas Morning News and 四虎影院.

This community-funded journalism initiative is funded by the Better Together Fund, Carol & Don Glendenning, City of Dallas OAC, The University of Texas at Dallas, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Eugene McDermott Foundation, James & Gayle Halperin Foundation, Jennifer & Peter Altabef and The Meadows Foundation. The News and 四虎影院 retain full editorial control of Arts Access鈥 journalism. 

Manuel Mendoza is a freelance writer and a former staff critic at The Dallas Morning News.