half term, critical review of dance piece #1

‘Flight Pattern’ by Crystal Pite is a moving and poignant piece, which explores the emotional trauma and heartache caused by the ongoing refugee crisis. In this sorrowful pas de deux, the story of a mother’s loss is explored, as the baby that the female dancer appears to be cradling is revealed to be just a rolled-up coat. The use of minimal lighting creates a sombre and depressing atmosphere on stage, with only a spotlight being used to create a focus on the dancers emerging out from the darkness. This harsh white light also enhances the vulnerability of the ‘refugees’, as Pite exposes the misery faced by those who seem to be forgotten about in our current society. The grey vest and trousers that the dancers are costumed in only add to the bleak and melancholy energy and their minimalism emphasises the harsh reality of the message that is being projected. Henryk Górecki’s ‘Symphony of Sorrowful Songs’ emulates the anguish felt and provides the perfect base for such emotional and powerful choreography.

Escaping from the darkness to save the female dancer from falling, the male dancer attempts to console his partner through the use of lifts and counterbalance connected by smooth and melting transitions, creating a sense of exhaustion and hopelessness. The close proximity maintained between the dancers shows their dependence on one another and creates an intimate and emotional experience for the audience to witness. Watching the piece, it feels as though the pair move as one, with each fall and release counteracted by the other dancer. The breath-taking use of counterbalance reflects the state of limbo that the ‘refugees’ are trapped in, with nothing left behind them and only an uncertain future ahead. This overwhelming sense of unpredictability and rawness throughout the piece is also shown through the nature of the lifts, as the male dancer never actually picks up the dancer with his hands, but instead her collapsing onto him and wrapping her body around his, is what forces him to take her weight and let her melt over him in sheer exhaustion and despair.  The repetition of the dancers covering each other’s eyes suggests their yearning to take each other’s pain away and to remove them from their dispiriting reality. This tender and raw movement shows their compassion for one another when it seems as though there is no other sign of hope for them to grasp onto. Their passionate and frantic arm movements with widespread fingers initiate many of their movements, pulling them across the stage and back towards one another; showing their desperation and cry for help. Pite uses very grounded and weighted movements to reflect the fear and sadness draining the couple and their sudden sinking into the ground and rising back up again to a lift shows the conflict within them of fighting to survive and surrendering to the reality of their situation.

As the pressure of supporting the female dancer becomes overwhelming, it appears towards the end of the piece that the sorrow becomes to much for the male dancer to cope with also. Swirling lifts and deep releases into the floor are replaced with erratic running and touching one another with desperation and intensity on the shoulders and head, pushing each other down into the ground and back up again.

Once again Pite returns to the idea of conflict at the end of the piece through a sequence of contrasting movements. The dancers throw their heads and arms back, creating a stunning broadness across their chests, showing their vulnerability and sensitive emotional state. Quickly this changes into a closed position, with the female dancer curled up in the male’s arms, cradling and comforting one another. Once again, their movements explode out in a stunning lift which showcases the connection between the dancers and powerful message behind the piece perfectly.

Returning to the fallen coat that was seen in the opening, the audience are left entranced by the emotion pouring out of this heartrending pas de deux.

Flight Pattern – Crystal Pite (Kristen McNally, Marcelino Sambé; The Royal Ballet)
Youtube.com. (2019). YouTube. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrNfZ6pCn9M [Accessed 10 Nov. 2019].