From England with Love

From England with Love

Hofesh Shechter has now been an artist-in-residence at Gauthier Dance for five years. Until now, he has worked almost exclusively for the main company, not for the JUNIORS. But that’s about to change—with a piece that’s a perfect fit! The youngsters will be rehearsing a production from the repertoire of Shechter’s second company, Shechter II. *From England with Love* is an extraordinary tribute to the country where the choreographer has lived since the early 2000s: the United Kingdom. A land of contradictions between an open, people-friendly society and pride in the traditions of an eventful—yet often dark—history. *From England with Love* explores precisely this tension, which Shechter transforms—in his own unique way—into a physical, high-energy scenario. England’s complex value system serves as the starting point for the inner journey of eight young people in search of their own identities and self-awareness. With boundless energy and pushing themselves to their limits, they respond for an hour to Shechter’s original music. The music combines excerpts from works by English composers Edward Elgar, Thomas Tallis, Henry Purcell, and William H. Monk with rock-infused electronic sounds and avant-garde elements. The result is an unbridled mix of styles and cultures, both musically and in terms of dance. It thus simultaneously serves as a reflection of our own complex present. The greeting that Shechter sends to the world with *From England with Love* is, in any case, at least as much a self-examination as it is a choreographic exploration. On one point, however, there is not a second of doubt. It is a greeting … with love.
Duration: approx. 60 minutes, no intermission
Recommended age: 14 and up