posted September 27, 2001 07:37            

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Body rock
Thomas Lehman riffs on the conventions of theatre and dance

Berlin-based dancer/choreographer Thomas Lehman is, at 38, one in a line of contemporary European dance artists who play with the presence of a performer onstage. The idea is to subvert how audiences perceive that experience and relationship, and dismantle ideas about the conventions of theatre and dance.

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posted September 27, 2001 07:58            

Mono subjects
video excerpt 56k
video excerpt DSL

posted September 29, 2001 08:46            

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A mixed bag of experimental moves

Lehmen has deliberately set out to divest a dance performance of any mystery, and thus enter into an existential dialogue with the audience.

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posted September 29, 2001 14:39            

Created and choreographed by: Thomas Lehmen

Choreographed and performed by, and music by: Thomas Lehmen, Gaetan Bulourde, Maria Clara Villa-Lobos, and Thomas Lehmen

Technical Director: Götz Dihlmann

The term 'existential' has been bandied about in reference to Thomas Lehman recently, I think that's just because he's German. If he was American no one would give his choreography that classification, it would seem far too severe for what he's doing. It just doesn't seem like the kind of work that should be over-analyzed or endowed with academic labels. Lehman doesn't quite fit into the 'serious artist' role. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that he removes all of his clothing on stage, incorporates a jazz dance routine into the piece, and then recreates the moment he injured himself on stage in Hong Kong. The stuff he does leans heavily towards physical comedy rather than technical dance movement. I found it very funny--so comical at times that it was difficult to contain my laughter. The gentleman seated to my right did not find it very amusing at all. I think he may have had a much better time at the Merce Cunningham show (where everyone kept their clothes on, thank you very much).

Like every good comedian, Lehman has a 'straight-man,' in this case a 'straight-woman' -- pokerfaced Maria Clara Villa-Lobos. Her ability to remember and perform long, kooky dance phrases was impressive. Gaetan Bulourde is the Don Knotts of contemporary dance. He's funny just standing there doing nothing. When he performs Lehman's absurd choreography he's over the top.

Lehman has styled a slacker-esque production with strips of tin foil as a backdrop and cowboy hats perched on top of the three bass cabinets that line the stage. Unfortunately, all we got for music out of the bass guitars was loud distortion. Lehman must care as little for notes and chords as he does for what most people would describe as dance. He is a fan of soccer though, as we learned from his description of his recent knee injury.

Mono subjects ends in darkness with Lehman tossing small neon fluorescent light sticks on to the stage. You can read whatever deep meaning you want to into that, I think he probably just thought they looked cool.