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The premiere of the Hessian State Ballet fascinates at the State Theatre
A pulsating ritual, a rapturous pull – and an audience that hardly dares to breathe for an hour: With the premiere of “Corps de Walk”, the Hessian State Ballet at the Darmstadt State Theatre has brought to the stage an evening that electrifies, overwhelms and at the same time deeply touches.
Dance between individual and collective
“Ritual and intoxicating,” is how dramaturge Lukas Hermann describes the work of Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar before the performance began – and that's exactly what it was. The choreography unfolds a magical tension between the individual and the masses, between controlled ecstasy and absolute precision.
In waves of techno-infused energy, bodies merge into a breathing organism, dissolve again, and recombine. The dancers move with a hypnotic energy – never accidental, always in flowing perfection. Eroticism, rhythm, ecstasy, and discipline: within this interplay, a choreographic ritual emerges, renewed with every movement.
A sound blending techno and classical music
Composer Ori Lichtik , a longtime collaborator of Eyal's, weaves pulsating techno beats with classical-sounding structures. It's not a background soundtrack, but a vibrant impulse that propels the body forward. Music, light, and movement form a unity that is almost impossible to put into words.
The audience in the main hall of the Darmstadt State Theatre experiences how techno and dance, trance and theatre combine to form a total work of art – a ritual that recurs again and again and seemingly knows no end.
Androgynous, focused, boundless
Only upon close inspection does one discern the dancers' gender. The costumes, the masks, the lighting – everything shifts perceptions. The white contact lenses, which dramaturg Hermann mentioned in his introduction, amplify the almost otherworldly expression. The bodies become projections, symbols of a collective movement.
The dancers perform superhuman feats: an hour of absolute concentration, total body control, and continuous movement. Not a moment of rest, not a breath taken without participation.
The effect: The audience itself enters a kind of trance. A captivating interplay develops between rapturous sequences and quiet moments of reflection, a feeling that deeply resonates.
From Jerusalem to Darmstadt – a universal language
Choreographer Sharon Eyal , born in Jerusalem, incorporates into her work the experiences of a city where cultures, religions, and contradictions collide. This emotional complexity is reflected in her art: her movements are simultaneously intimate and collective, sensual and spiritual.
“Corps de Walk” was created in 2011 for the Norwegian company Carte Blanche and is now considered one of Eyal’s signature pieces. The Hessian State Ballet now brings the work to the stage with impressive precision and intensity – in a revival with lighting design by Alon Cohen and music by Ori Lichtik .
Anyone who was at the Darmstadt State Theatre that evening saw more than just dance. They experienced what happens when body, sound, and light merge into a single, pulsating being.
Further performances:
Staatstheater Darmstadt, Main Stage – Hessian State Ballet
Choreography: Sharon Eyal & Gai Behar
Music: Ori Lichtik
Lighting: Alon Cohen / Henry Rehberg
Duration: approx. 60 minutes
Ulrich Diehl, Darmstadt publisher and editor of various magazines and journals such as "Kulturnachrichten Darmstadt und Südhessen", has watched the play:
Featured image: Photo: Uli Diehl (uldi)
The premiere of “Corps de Walk” was ritualistic and intoxicating…
Lukas Hermann, dramaturge of the Hessian State Ballet, described the piece "Corps de Walk" in his pre-premiere introduction as ritualistic and intoxicating… And
that's exactly what it was. The rhythmic diversity, the dancers, and the details captivated the audience.
The piece explored the tension between the individual and the collective, and the eroticism of the crowd was palpable from beginning to end.
Techno and classical music merged into a ritual that repeats itself and will never end.
The dancers were truly dreamy… although none of them were allowed to be dreamy; they needed complete concentration for a full hour. Pure madness.
Only upon closer inspection could one discern the gender of the dancing figures on stage… the white contact lenses weren't visible from the seventh row, but Lukas Hermann's mention of them in his introduction demonstrates the meticulous attention to detail in the piece.
Makeup, costumes, and lighting focused the audience's gaze and anticipation entirely on the bodies of the dancers on stage.
Choreographer Sharon Eyal was born in Jerusalem, a city where the most diverse people and religions live together more closely than in any other in the world.
The emotional depth of this fascinating city was palpable, even on the stage of the Darmstadt State Theatre.
The audience was captivated and held in a trance for an hour, induced by a theatrical performance…
Uli Diehl
