SOMA - body landscapes. Breading flesh and imitations. Choreographer Martin Talaga uses parts of a mannequin in order to shed light on the imperfections of the body contrasting with the seemingly perfect and proportionate pieces of plastic. We conclude that in spite of its flawlessness, the mannequin remains cold, breathless and soulless. The mannequin is meant to function as a memento to mankind and thereby, it is to reflect upon the current trend of worshiping perfection and outer beauty while forgetting about the real values and inner beauty.
We have become colder, we care less and without realizing it, we have turned to be more robot-like than ever before. We are slowly but surely losing what makes us human.
In this performance, the main protagonist is the human body in all of its beauty and ugliness, possibilities and limitations. What the human body is capable of expressing and what are its limitations?
As God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him. Adam was created and subject to a physical death. He passed away. We made him fall into pieces.
Choreography, visual: Martin Talaga
Performing: Radim Klásek, Anton Eliaš, Marek Menšík
Music: Myko
Light design: Karlos Šimek
Costume: Kateřina Jirmanová Soukupová
Production: Dominika Skálová
Photography: Petr Kurečka, Michal Hančovský
Tickets online from EpayGo and the EasyPay cash desks. The event on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/events/2316605471926506/
AWARDS
* Dance Production of the Year – Czech Dance Platform, 2018
* Discovery in Dance Award – Czech Dance Platform, 2017
* Dance Piece of the Year Award – Czech Dance Platform, 2017
REVIEWS
“Awoken, disturbed bodies. No signs of humanity. They differ from one another only by specific gestures, twitching, jerky tics and motion paths. Due to technical precision, performers repeatedly manage to confuse the viewer. With moments of violent fits and waves, when the upper body is not traceable, only mirrored split torsos with crooked limbs left for the viewer to question.”
“The main strength of the performance is in the associative play with the viewer, in the hints, fleeting gestures and abstractions that stimulate the imagination…” – Ludvik Píza
“Once again, he (Martin Talaga) tries not to please, or in any way formally or purposefully, gratify the audience. Because of this his work feels sincere and pure… Refreshing , simple movement vocabulary, functional lighting, the space, the props, and the concept of the entire choreography – raw and new. All this leads us to an unexpected destination: “a movement installation” – Jan Kodet
MARTIN TALAGA
Martin Talaga is a Prague-based artist, working as a dancer, choreographer and performance artist mainly in the field of physical theatre and contemporary dance. Besides contemporary dance he is also interested in experimental and visual work and traditional folklore dances.
During his studies and professional career he has had a chance to cooperate with various choreographers, theater directors and companies, such as LATERNA MAGIKA – National Theatre (CZ), VerTeDance (CZ), Spitfire Company (CZ), Radim Vizváry(CZ) , Csaba Molnár (HU) , Matthew Rogers (US), Alexandra Karabelas(GE), Stefan Drehrer (GE), Mia Lawrence (GE,BE) ,SAJU HARI (UK), Jaro Viňarský (SK), Peter Šavel (BE/SK), Věra Ondrašíková (CZ) among others.
As a choreographer he has already produced several successful productions – Thirsts, SYNovial (collaboration with Marek Zelinka), BOI (collaboration with Matej Matejka), FAUNUS, SOMA – this choreography won two national dance awards. Besides his own work he has also choreographed for another theatres and companies, from small performances to big shows and musicals.
With the support of the Chech Center

Source: http://plovdiv2019.eu