A black flag floats in continuous motion. Its movement and the flapping of the fabric become both choreography and sound. Presented as a single continuous action, Relay draws its inspiration from the many recent protests taking place around the globe, the mass marches in Poland, in defense of women’s rights, called “Czarny Protest” (Black Protest). The black flag cannot be linked to one particular battle and hence defies easy interpretation. The Polish Canadian choreographer Ula Sickle and a diverse group of performers relay one another in a fascinating test of endurance. Their movements pass back and forth between inertia and hope, resistance and powerlessness. They each individually take on the responsibility to keep the flag moving, but it is the collective effort required that makes Relay such a powerful symbol.
Credits
Concept, performance, choreography Ula Sickle Sound concept & design Yann Leguay Live Sound Yann Leguay / Raphaël Hénard Original Cast Popol Amisi, Liza Baliasnaja, Sidney Barnes, Amanda Barrio Charmelo, Mavi Veloso, Mohamed Toukabri, Nathan Ooms Also performed with Cherish Menzo, Wei-Da Chen (Vienna), Ashley Ho, Edward Lloyd (Amsterdam), Assana Buaro, Catarina Marcos, Ana Isabel Castro, Jorge Goncalves (Porto) Elie Autin, Marius Barthaux, Collin Cabanis, Karine Dahouindji, Adél Juhasz (Geneva)
Performance History
W139, Amsterdam, The Netherlands | 25 January 2020
