Dance at its finest, like many other facets of the performing arts, reflects who we are as people. It asks big questions and forces us as an audience to reflect back on those questions and figure out what they mean in the work and what they mean to us personally. No piece in this early part of the new year will ask as many questions, perhaps, as Dimitris Papaioannou does in his latest work. The director, choreographer, performer and visual artist poses several questions in The Great Tamer. The one performance, on Friday at Royce Hall, is already sold-out.
Papaioannou uses a slowed-down version of Strauss’s Blue Danube Waltz as the musical spine for this meditation on the meaning of life and death, destruction and reconstruction and more. The Great Tamer will be dark, perhaps even macabre, it will challenge and it will have moments of humor. In other words, this is a provocative evening of theatre and dance for those unafraid of challenging material.
The video below will give you an idea of what the evening will offer. Please note that it does include nudity and is not suitable for work.
The Great Tamer is designed for adults. In fact, there is a notice that due to nudity it is recommended for viewers 18 and over. This show is part of the CAP UCLA season and is presented in conjunction with Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Music Center.