How do we reclaim our humanity?
Since Plato, the term Khôra (Ancient Greek: 'place, area, land, space') has been an ephemeral one, thinkers from Aristotle to Derrida to Heidegger to Kristeva not so much nailing down a proper definition than circling it like an inscrutable object.
With her group piece Khôra, Belgian choreographer Astrid Boons dares to enter this place that, at the same time, is a non-place: both a reflection of our increasingly technologised world, pushing bodies to the margin, and a rejoinder, a possible refuge. Five dancers, with nothing but their bodies and each other, keep resituating themselves in an eerily smooth wasteland, posing the equally simple as impossible question: 'How do we reclaim our humanity?'
Want to learn more? In this interview Astrid tells more about the themes of Khôra.
Concept & choreography Astrid Boons
In collaboration with and danced by Karolina Szymura, Spencer Dickhaus, Amy Josh, Matilde Tommasini, Lukas Karvelis
Dramaturgy Eva Martinez
Composer Miguelángel Clerc Parada
Set & light design Zaza Dupont
Costume design Bregje van Balen
Light operator Lisette van der Linden
Produced by Korzo
Co-produced by The Hessisches Staatsballett in the frame of the Tanzplattform Rhein Main
With the support of Opera Ballet Vlaanderen and The Norwegian National Opera & Ballet
Made possible by Performing Arts Fund NL in the frame of the Fast Forward program, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, Municipality of The Hague
Images by: Jim De Block, Sjoerd Derine