Sequins, chiffon.... fruitsalad

I was asked to design lights for the 25th anniversary gala for a dance studio Semiramis in Basel. This studio instructs people in various dance styles, but the main focus in on oriental dance. As an ending for this semester they wanted to stage a show containing 13 choreographies in approximately 80 minutes. Content stretched from oriental to contemporary through modern variations. Venue was Theater Roxy in Birsfelden.

Technically this was an interesting challenge for me, since one had to keep the concept somehow manageable, since this was not AC/DC tour with hundred stagehands and unlimited technical resources. And still be able to create enough dynamic and variety to keep it interesting to see.

Artistically this was a very joyful and endearing project to realise. I went to see the rehearsals couple of times and discussed the needs and wishes with choreographers. Then when on stage we nailed everything down in an hour per individual piece. Concept was pretty clear and luckily there was no major problems to execute it. Mostly things fit quite well to my original idea, although, when designing, it was difficult to try to see how 15 dancers will find their places in a space that is double the size of the rehearsal studio. For example.

All in all these people, both dancers and the choreographers seem to be very energetic and positive, which made my work all the more pleasurable. Especially oriental dance is somehow filled with lots of emotions and the joy of movement. It's nice to get a chance to make dreams of this kind of people come true. Happy lot... happy designer... happy lights.

If I achieved the goal... Judge for yourselves:

First choreography was a classical oriental dance.
"Leilat Hob"

2nd: very fast paced and energetic modern dance to
the music of Prince.
"It's about that walk"

Third one jumps back to oriental. Duo with cymbals.
"Wala Tinzani"

4th: more classical oriental. Group choreography
"Hawa ya hawa"

5th: Starts with short veil dance and swaps into drum music and
very fast oriental movement.

"Bahia / Kivir"

6th: Modern dance, 10 dancers, 15 minutes. Moods swinging from
blue hour via dawning day to black'n white graphics.
Music by Ensemble L'Arpeggiata

"Traces, faces, spaces, places"

7th: Oriental stick / cane dance.
"El Lilah"

8th: oriental tango, very intimate, subtle and erotic.
"O sensin"

9th: Modern choreography, very geometric and
accentuated movement

music"Night over Manaus" by Boozoo Bajou.
"Grand cru"

10th: oriental veil dance with somehow poetic and romantic music.
"The Mummers dance"

11th: Contemporary choreography, mystical and detached from time.
"Als wär nichts gewesen"
(Freely: As if there was nothing, as it didn't happen)

12th: Oriental group dance to drum music.
"Amaya"

The grande finale with all 56 dancers.
And a chaser for 28 toplight Par cans.
"Thalia"

And for the end; I add here my light plot, so my colleaques can oggle my set up. It has some fruitsalad color also! =) =)

The light plot for "Nichts als Tanz"