Oskara

If you want to know who you are, dance!
The stage is an operating theatre. A man experiences his own death and dives into Basque culture with its myths and symbols, its ever-renewed tradition. Invited by Jon Maya, choreographer and director of the Kukai Dantza company, Spaniard Marcos Morau shows us the ties between traditional Basque dance and contemporary choreographic language. Scenes follow each other, striking and disconcerting, like so many enigmatic landscapes, so many intertwined human geographies. The precise gestures of virtuoso dancers, the stylised elegance of traditional costumes, and the almost-mystical singing all contribute to an intense reflection about Basque identity. Moving from shadow to light, the images with their echoes and counterpoints, their sidesteps and chassé-croisés, invent a fascinating exploration of human experience. Dance as a response to what defines us. A land, a language, a history, a living and vibrant tradition, and a future to pass on.

The Kukai Dantza company was founded in 2001 in Errenteria in the Basque country by dancer and choreographer Jon Maya. They have developed a form of contemporary dance drawn from the roots of Basque culture. Their creations, like Gelajauziak or Erritu, have met with acclaim on the international stage and received many awards. Since 2008, the company has worked with prestigious choreographers like Cesc Gelbart, Israel Galván, Sharon Fridman, or Marcos Morau.

Born in Valencia in 1982, Marcos Morau trained at the Institut del Teatre de Barcelona, the Conservatorio Superior de Danza de Valencia, and Movement Research in New York. In 2005, he created the collective La Veronal with artists from other disciplines. The Barcelona-based group has since developed very expressive hybrid creations, whose aesthetics borrow from cinema, literature, painting, or photography. Among other international awards, Marcos Morau won the 2013 Prix national de la danse.

With Julen Achiary alternating with Thierry Biscary (singing)  Eneko Gil, Ibon Huarte, Alain Maya, Martxel Rodríguez, Urko Mitxelena

Company direction Jon Maya
Design, choreography Marcos Morau
Dramaturgy Pablo Gisbert
Choreography assistant Lorena Nogal, Marina Rodriguez
Music Xabier Erkizia, Pablo Gisbert
Costumes Iraia Oiartzabal

Production Kukai Dantza
Co-production San Sebastián Capitale européenne de la culture 2016, Donostia Kultura Victoria Eugenia Theater, Scène nationale du Sud-Aquitain, Malandain Ballet Biarritz
Witht the support of Gouvernement basque, Ville d'Errenteria, Errenteria Kultura Kreaktiboa
With the help of Etxepare