Plateau Effect by Cullberg Ballet: First encounter with choreographer Jefta van Dinther

It was a mix of young and young-at-heart audience on the Tuesday evening of Culberg Ballet's Plateau Effect.  It would be my second encounter wiht the Cullberg Ballet - the first being former Artistic Director Mats Ek's Giselle at the Edinburgh International Festival in 1999 (year to be confirmed).  So what a good way to end my journey in Stockholm by catching this company's performance at the Dansens Hus, a major dance venue in Sweden.


Plateau Effect was choreographed by Jefta van Dinther, who has been choreographing and dancing between Stockholm and Berlin.  According to Jefta van Dinther, he wanted to continue his research in the areas of perception and synaesthesia, where the body, light and sound to be literally extend and reach out to the spectators.

In this piece, the canvas played a key part in the performance.  Right from the beginning, the dancers were trapped or stuck to the canvas. And while they were eventually able to be freed and extend the canvas, there was still a sense of attachment to it.

Watching this piece was partly looking at the creation of an installation piece - the dancers created, dismantled and re-created various formations of the canvas.   Jefta van Dinther has used the large auditorium space to good effect.

The performance was engaging for the hour's duration and credit must be given to the dancers.  The audience was appreciative to the dance and dancers in the end.  Several stood up for a standing ovation during curtain call.

With appreciation to Cullberg Ballet.