GöteborgsOperans Danskompani Kites & SAABA 7-10 September 2022

Programme

Damien Jalet

Belgian-French Damien Jalet is an internationally sought-after choreographer who constantly seeks to reinvent dance through his collaborations and dialogues with other artists and forms of expression.

He has collaborated with Ballet C. de la B., Sasha Waltz and Guests, Chunky Move, Eastman, NYDC, Hessiches Staatsballet, Paris Opera Ballet. His work Babel (words), with Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, set design by Antony Gormley, won two Olivier Awards. Other works include Les méduses, a choreographic installation at the Louvre, Yama for Scottish Dance Theatre with set design by Jim Hodges, Bolero for the Paris Opera Ballet in collaboration with Cherkaoui and performance artist Marina Abramovic, obsidian pieces for the Icelandic Dance Company in collaboration with Erna Omarsdottir. In 2015, Jalet choreographed the work gravity fatigue conceptualised by fashion designer Hussein Chalayan for Sadler's Wells in London.

Damien Jalet has choreographed several parts of the film Suspiria directed by Luca Guadagnino, starring Tilda Swinton, Dakota Johnson, Ingrid Caven with original music by Thom Yorke.

In 2018, he directed his first opera, Pelleas and Melissande, with Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, with set design by Marina Abramović at the Antwerp Opera. He also created the work Omphalos for the Mexican National Contemporary Dance Company CEPRODAC.

In 2019, he became artist in residence at the Théâtre National de Chaillot in Paris. Here he choreographed the film Anima, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and starring Thom Yorke. It premiered in June at IMAX Theatres and is streaming on Netflix. The film was nominated for 'Best Musical Film' at the 2019 Grammy Awards, and Jalet won 'Best Choreography' at the UK Music Video Awards. In the same year, he became Madonna's creative advisor for her "Madame X" tour, for which he choreographed four numbers, including the show's opening number, and the film/live duet between Madonna and her daughter Lourdes.

As a teacher, Jalet has also taught his specific centrifugal force technique at many companies and institutions, including the Pina Bausch Company, ImPulsTanz Vienna, Atelier de Paris and Architanz Tokyo.

In 2013, Damien Jalet was made a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government.

SAABA

Israeli choreographer Sharon Eyal's distinctive style has a hypnotic, pulsating power that is instantly recognisable. In her third dance work for GöteborgsOperan Danskompani, SAABA, Sharon Eyal collaborates with Dior's chief designer Maria Grazia Chiuri, who designs the costumes. The two have worked together several times before, especially in connection with Dior's seasonal fashion collections. Now Maria Grazia Chiuri joins Sharon Eyal and her team at Dansens Hus.

Sharon Eyal and GöteborgsOperans Danskompani is a love story that just keeps on rolling. After the success of Untitled black (2012) and Car dance (2018), this will be their third collaboration. SAABA had its world premiere on 30 October 2021 at GöteborgsOperan.

Sharon Eyal

Israeli choreographer Sharon Eyal began her career as a dancer with the world-renowned Batsheva Dance Company from 1990 to 2008, and started choreographing within the framework of the company's Batsheva Dancers Create project. In 2003-2004, Eyal was assistant artistic director of Batsheva and in 2005-2012 house choreographer. During her time with the company, she created 16 new creations.

In 2005, Eyal started collaborating with Gai Behar in his works, in the L-E-V company and various projects.

Since 2009, Eyal has created over 30 new dance works for dance companies around the world including. Bedroom Folk, Salt Womb, Feelings and Sara for Nederland Dance Theatre, Strong for StaatsBallett in Berlin, L'Après-midi d'un faune for Paris Opera, Half-Life for Kungliga baletten in Stockholm, Untitled Black and Autodance for GöteborgsOperans Danskompani, Killer Pig and Corps de Walk for Carte Blanche in Norway, Too Beaucoup for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Plafona for Tanzcompagnie Oldenburg in Germany and Promise and Soul Chain for Staatstheater Mainz in Germany.

Eyal has collaborated with big names outside the traditional dance world. She has choreographed fashion shows and projects with Christian Dior Couture and Maria Grazia Chiuri. With the band The National and music video director Mike Mills, she has appeared in two music videos for the songs Hairpin Turns and Hey Rosey from the album I Am Easy To Find - as well as a live performance at the opening concert of their international tour at L'Olympia in Paris and the young brand.

In 2013, Eyal launched L-E-V. L-E-V's repertoire consists of 3 works created for the company. L-E-V's works are also co-produced with some of the world's leading dance venues such as Sadler's Wells in London and Julidans in Amsterdam, but also Montpellier Dance Festival, Migros Culture Percentage - Dance Festival STEPS, Theater Freiburg, The Banff Center in Canada, Carolina Performing Arts - North Carolina, USA and TorinoDanza.