Andrea Peña's Bogotá opened the Dance Umbrella festival at Sadler's Wells East in London, presenting a bold yet alienating piece inspired by mythology and magical realism. The performance features dancers in nude-coloured pants and knee pads, moving with sporadic tugs and jerks, writhing on the floor, and exuding an atmosphere of sweat and exhaustion.
Peña, originally from Colombia and now based in Montreal, brings a background in design to her award-winning choreography. The piece explores themes of memory, grief, and post-colonial identities, though the narrative remains elusive. The setting is a stark 'no place' with scaffolding and plastic sheeting, contributing to a mood of alienation rather than connection.
At one point, dancer Frédérique Rodier stands atop a speaker stack, giving the middle finger to an operatic chorus—a gesture that may signify resistance to colonialism, though the meaning is left ambiguous. When the dancers move in organised sequences, their raw energy and sensual stretch are striking, evoking a nest of vipers.
The performance feels like a ritual of transformation, with dancers visibly drained at the curtain call. While some may question the audience's role as mere witnesses, the piece commits boldly to an alternative world, challenging expectations and time itself.
