Dominique Dumais

So near and yet so far

Duration: est. 60 minutes, no intermission
Touch as an elementary component of human life is at the centre of Dominique Dumais' latest dance creation "So near and yet so far". Touch is social interaction, from handshake to hug. And it has long been proven that physical contact and touch are vital for human beings from a very young age. People need people. We need each other.

In theatre, individual spectators become an audience. The shared experience of the performance forms community – and not only between the spectators. Beyond the edge of the stage, another connection is established, a contact between spectators and performers. By observing what is happening on stage, the viewers can retrace the dancers' movements within themselves. In this way, the theatre hall opens up the possibility that people can be touched, even moved, and get in touch with each other again without contact, even over a distance.

The everyday life of the dance ensemble is determined by clear rules of contact these days. However, the new situation creates changed perspectives and awakens new creative potential. In inspired solos and duets the dancers conjure up personal memories. They examine the social and emotional effects of isolation and examine relationships and people's responsibility to each other. They reflect on feelings of loneliness, longing, but also hope, in a time when our everyday life is choreographed by social distancing. In moments of humour and irony, ways of playfully dealing with the new rules of contact and movement are explored.

The musical arc to this dance collage spans from classical music to contemporary and allows the audience to immerse in different worlds. With "So near and yet so far" Dominique Dumais invites the public to a dance evening where people can come together again in a distanced but shared experience.