"En Atendant" - Photo: Stephanie Berger Anna Teresa De Keersmaeker’s En Atendant (2010) and Cesena (2011) danced by her company Rosas, were brilliantly paired for part of BAM’s “Next Wave Festival” (October 19 – 20). Literally, but in no way corny, En Atendant ends with a nude dancer running around the stage as the lights dimmed and he disappeared. Cesena, on the other hand, began with what seemed like the “same” nude dancer who ran very fast into the dimly lit space, and then abruptly, the light went out. Accompanying the dancers, on stage, in both works are vocalists, set a part in En Atendant and completely interwoven in Cesena. This was Keersmaeker’s ode to the transitional cycle in the rhythm of a day. Both works were very dark, sometimes lit by just one row of dim neon light above the vast and empty space, except for the sand: half circle in En Atendant and a full circle in Cesena. Look deeper and Keersmaeker’s stories are told via the 14th century polyphonic vocal style known as ars subtilior. Though it was impossible not to notice the sleeping bodies in the audience, Keersmaeker’s atmosphere was captivating, you were either in or you weren’t. From the drone of the music (in both works), to the measured walking patterns, from an unusually quick section when the music pitched and a dancer responded with equally quick runs or jumps, to the lacing and unlacing in and out of tableaus, our focus was directed. The rhythm of any day, then, was up for question. Keersmaeker’s journey was a success. The dancers are also credited with creating the works, they are: Bostjan Antoccic, Carlos Garbin, Cynthia Loemij, Mark Lorimer, Mikael Marklund, Chrysa Parkinson, Sandy Williams and Sue-Yeon Youn in En Atendant with musicians, Michael Schmid, the Ensemble Cour et Coeur, Bart Coen, Thomas Baete and Annelies Van Gramberen. In Cesna, the performers are: Olalla Aleman, Haider Al Timimi, Antoncic, Aron Blom, Joachim Brackx, Garbin, Marie Goudot, David Hernandez, Mikael Marklund, Tomas Maxe, Julien Monty, Parkinson, Marius Peterson, Michael Pomero, Albert Riera, Gabriel Schenker, Yves Van Handenhove and Williams.
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