The world premiere of Emanuel Gat’s Utopia closes ŻfinMalta’s 2022/23 season with a bang – literally. Listen for Gat’s recordings of Malta’s recent fireworks festival in the music score, which Gat creates himself, along with the choreography and light design. An award-winning choreographer, selling out from London, to New York, to Paris, and Rome, Gat has created Utopia for and with the ŻfinMalta company dancers. The premiere comes as part of another hugely successful season programme, exposing Malta’s dance audiences to the incredible diversity of contemporary dance from Europe and raising the profile of Malta’s National Dance Company internationally.
Utopia is the result of a collaboration between Emanuel Gat and the ŻfinMalta company dancers, a celebration of their uniqueness, virtuosity, engagement, fearlessness, sense of responsibility, and humanity. In a stream of choreographic consciousness, Utopia charts the personal journeys of ten individuals looking for connection and examining the role of the performer as an onstage, live creator.
ŻfinMalta Artistic Director Paolo Mangiola says: “Emanuel’s work comes at the right time in the right theatre, ready to delve into what it means to create a utopian world, rich with curiosity and emotion. His choreographic signature is one of a kind, and his unique ability to move a large group of dancers on stage holds our attention, drawing us into the work and inspiring an intellectual and emotional response.
“Every performance will feel completely different. If you come and watch this work, it will be completely different every night, and the feeling you get each night will be different. It’s a risk, but it keeps the work alive,” said Emanuel Gat.
Choreography, being a practice of organising groups of people in action, can and must be a manner of pointing towards ideal forms and systems for individuals and societies. Regardless of the achievability of these utopian models, the fact a certain choreographic system shows clear evidence of being beneficial for the group involved, is of great value. It is a daily practice of striving to achieve – within the artistic realm – that which is un-achievable (and probably has no place) in the real world.
About Emanuel Gat
Emanuel Gat was born in Israel and first danced with the Liat Dror Nir Ben Gal Company before setting out as an independent choreographer in 1994. His company Emanuel Gat Dance is based in Marseilles, France. His unique and personal approach to choreography and dance making has him ranked as one of Europe’s leading and most prolific choreographers working today.
Choreography, music & lights: Emanuel Gat; Additional music: Chick-p; Costumes: Holly Knowles; Photography: Camille Fenech; Dancers: Pearl Calleja, Lidia Caricasole, Tara Dalli, Felix Deepen, Nik Folini, Lotte La Haye, Jérémie Lafon, Keith Micallef, Simon Riccardi-Zani, Amber Van Veen.
Utopia takes place on May 26/27/28 at 7.30PM at Teatru Manoel, Valletta. Bookings: booking.teatrumanoel.com.mt. Supported by the Embassy of France in Malta
Upcoming Performances
London Design Biennale, The Global Game: Remapping Collaborations; Urban Fabric, June 1 & 2 – Utopia, by Emanuel Gat; Civitanova Danza Festival, July 8 – Stage 1, by Paolo Mangiola – Dance Festival Malta, July 27.