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Nederlans Dans Theater Program A
by Veronica Marcelo

Some might describe it as looking into one's dream, while others call it absolutely imaginative and ingenious. Whatever this piece Last Touch, choreographed by Jiri Kylian may be classified as, it is definitely unparalleled and incomparable. As the curtains come up on stage at the renowned BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, the spotlights indicate to us the different "character" roles that should soon take place.

More like a slow motion early 1900's theatrical production than a dance, Kylian's gimmicks have taken a new form of abstract movement. Clothed in exquisite Victorian attire by Patty den Boer and Ankie Arts, these six dancers enact a sort of surrealist image.

The embellished scenery consists of three men and three women. One, who stands out more so in comparison to the others is the lady at stage right who is dressed in dark colors. She carries this mysterious front about her as she circles the table and arranges the cloth. The woman in the middle is reading a book and at first glance, appears to be content while the one to her left is apparently drunk. The two men are sitting by the window playing cards while the one man stands alone by the entrance upstage, almost as if he is not taking part in the scene but only observing, waiting. His protracted stillness insinuates to the audience that there is an upcoming event that, in one hidden sense, will tie this vagueness together.

The music by Dirk Haubrich, the unceasing playing of one piano key followed by a few other notes every eight-counts or so, is done in such a steady tempo that it almost becomes the sound of silence. Being ever drawn into such dawdling and over-exaggeratedly, stretched out, ghost-like travels might be assumed by many to be monotonous and overrated, however, it is quite the opposite. The music and pace of the movements are actually what captures attention and engages the audience.

The secrecy behind the way in which the couples interact suggests a forbidden love entanglement, and brings our minds to wonder what it is that these couples want us to see and what they do not want us to see. As the audience, there is this constant fervent need to search beneath the surface and find the greater meaning in what message the choreographer wishes to convey within these character's relationships.

They continue to move snail-paced. Then "bam!" Lights, by Kees Tjebbes, is an effect that significantly adds to the sudden rush of alarm, as the loud striking of a chord on the piano initiates the man on center stage (originally the man in front of the entrance) to run over to a lit candle on stage right and burn a page from a book, while the others, scattered throughout the staged room, react fearfully, being caught off guard. The shock leaves hearts pounding and hairs standing, with greater impact than that of a horror film. Afterwards, everything returns to normal and all the dancers phase back into their original positions, leaving the viewers unable to rest and the "mystery" still concealed to our eyes.

The dancers of Last Touch are undoubtedly skilled in the technical aspects, the dancing, the balancing, and the ability to deliver a believable performance of t he story being told here. Equally important, much recognition should be paid to the crewmembers whose hard work and dedication has produced and outstanding, obscure, bizarre but exceptional masterpiece.