One of the leading figures of US postmodern dance distils the narrative motif of a choreography for herself from a short story by the New York writer and essayist Susan Sontag published in 1984. Lucinda Childs premiered this text written for her under Sontag’s title Description (of a description) in 2000 as a collaboration with the composer and set designer Hans Peter Kuhn in Montpellier. It is about stress and the description of the plight of an overstrained man who suddenly collapses in the street. With unique presence and her own charisma, Childs dances this solo now, at 83, live in Vienna. On one evening, the choreographer, whose brilliant career began in the early sixties at the legendary Judson Dance Theater in New York, will also present the world premiere of her group work 4 etudes by Philip Glass, performed by pianist Alain Franco, at Akademietheater on the occasion of ImPulsTanz’s 40th anniversary. The piece is danced by the superb company of the Italian MP3 Dance Project under the direction of Michele Pogliani.
Part I: Description (of a description)
Choreography and Performance: Lucinda Childs
Text: Susan Sontag
Music, stage design and light: Hans Peter Kuhn
World premiere: The Kitchen New York, 2000
Re-staging: Festival d'Automne in Paris, CND Centre National de la Danse, 2016 Change Performing Arts, Teatro di La Spezia 2019
Part II: 4 etudes by Philip Glass
Performance: MP3 Dance Project
Music: Etude n. 3 - 5 - 9 - 18 by Philip Glass, performed live on the piano by Alain Franco