A woman enters a mortuary. In front of her lies a lifeless body. She examines it. Upstairs, merry male voices laugh. Then an arm twitches. The dead awaken, and the dance begins.
Jo Strømgren is one of Norway's most prominent and versatile choreographers, with a career spanning over thirty years and more than 200 original productions. Since 2012, he has been the resident choreographer at the Norwegian National Ballet.
In The Basement, we follow four women through time and space in the twilight realm between dreams and nightmares. Strømgren is renowned for his blend of dance and theatre, where storytelling and movement merge into a fully immersive experience.
The result is both morbid and unsettling, yet light occasionally streams through the ceiling, a reminder of the world outside. Both a lament and a tribute, filled with eerie sets and captivating movement, The Basement is a powerful piece of narrative dance exploring the misfortunes of women.
Duration:
Approx. 1 hour, no interval
Organiser:
Stavanger Concert Hall in collaboration with Dansenett Norway