BIRDIE
'The experience of flying and the image of closed walls have been inspiring me for long years - from my childhood, when I was staring at the extremely blue sky and I was dreaming of escaping from the orphanage and becoming someone else.'
(Pal Frenak, choreographer)
Isolation and loneliness. Freedom and infinity. Pal Frenak's creation is about the walls, the physical and emotional boundaries within ourselves and about the way our imagination creates a completely new reality to survive. The image of flying is a deep and complex metaphor for Pal Frenak, inspired by Alan Parker's film, William Warthon's novel and Raymond Depardon's documentary film, entitled San Clemente. The piece Birdie is a dynamic vision about the fragile balance between sanity and insanity, the special relation between identity and imagination. The central question is: in the age of chaos, in the world of wars and cruelty, how can we create a small island of peace and what happens if the world outside doesn't accept our chosen way of living our lives?
BIRDIE was honored with the Grand Prize dedicated to the best dance performance and the Audience's Award at the Festival of Dance 2015 of Veszprem.
Birdie is an astonishing, moving and extremely beautiful portrait of emotions and human feelings, with crystal clear structure and outstanding quality of dance.
Pal Frenak’s „birdies” are all unique... of course they are, as they are more human beings than birds... they are fighting with each other, they are fighting with themselves, they are fragile and strong at the same time, they are balancing between sanity and insanity, wanting to be free but also flying back to the cage, they are pathetic and beautiful creatures. Just like us. The contrast between this pure-cool perfection and smooth fragility creates something really special in Birdie
Lilla Turbuly
On the stage of Pál Frenák, not only can you see the movement of legs, arms, face, eyes, but its the movement of the complex and beautiful machinery of the body - everything moves, the bones, the muscles, it's the choreography of flesh and blood - and this rugged harmony gives birth to an extraordinary composition that enthralls our mind and heart at the same time.
Lívia Fuchs
dance theorist
CREDITS
Dancers
Fanni Esterhazy, Gabor Halasz, Patrik Keresztes, Emma Lorincz, Milan Maurer, Latasha Pugh, Kristof Varnagy, Erika Vasas
Chellist
Endre Kertesz
Music
Norman Levy
Set design
Daniel Lakos - PLANBUREAU, Gyula Majoros
Light
Mate Vajda
Sound
Andras Horvath
Concept & Choreography
Pal Frenak
Co-production of Budapest Spring Festival and the National Dance Theatre of Hungary
