World-renowned William Forsythe is considered one of the leading choreographers of our time. For more than four decades, he has created productions that redefine the vocabulary of classical ballet, and his innovative approach to choreography, staging, lighting, and dance analysis has influenced countless choreographers and artists.
Blurring the lines between performance, sculpture, and installation, his “Choreographic Objects” invite viewers to confront the fundamental ideas of choreography. These works are designed to stimulate visitors’ movement through interactions with kinetic sculptures, video projections, and architectural environments.
“Alignigung 2” presents a choreography in which dancers Riley Watts and Rauf Yasit (aka “Rubber Legz”) intertwine their bodies in a constellation of knots. It offers an object that subtracts elements commonly associated with choreography: the structural development of time and space and the visual isolation of certain parts. The intertwining of two bodies forms what Forsythe likes to call “optical puzzles,” as this complex intertwining creates optical enigmas that often defy the apparent logic of the situation. A hybrid between choreography, film, and sculpture, “Alignigung” features musical collaboration by Ryoji Ikeda.
BoCA presents for the first time in Portugal one of the works that is part of the “Choreographic Objects” series. William Forsythe’s video installation “Alignigung 2” is presented in three museums in the three official cities of BoCA 2019: the National Museum of Ancient Art (Lisbon), the Soares dos Reis National Museum (Porto), and the D. Diogo de Sousa Museum (Braga).