Contemporary Dance 2.0

Press

“Appropriately enough, the last performance raised the issue of generational change. ‘Shechter IIʼ is star choreographer Hofesh Schechter’s junior ensemble […]. His trademark is power dance and what his young octet showed on stage for an hour would be too much for mere mortals even for ten minutes. Despite the highest energy levels, the group always remained precise in a wide variety of constellations.”

Cellesche Zeitung, 15 September 2022

Preview Text

Shechter II is the current junior company of the renowned Israeli-born choreographer Hofesh Shechter, who has been taking the dance world by storm for many years from his London base. He created the piece “Contemporary Dance 2.0” in 2019 for the GöteborgsOperans Danskompani. Now he has placed it in the hands of his eight dancers aged between 18 and 25, whom he selected from around 1,000 applicants from all over the world for his young-talents project. Premiered just a few months ago, the production is already causing a sensation with its unbridled, concentrated dance energy: Set to driving music composed by Shechter himself, “Contemporary Dance 2.0” presents a breath-taking survey of current forms of contemporary dance which enticingly hints at what may be to come. An exhilarating celebration of pure dance and a look back to the future to close the TANZtheater INTERNATIONAL festival.

Watch a video on Youtube: youtube.com/watch?v=s3yEmaZAb-8

(approx. 60 mins)

cast & credits

Choreography/ Music: Hofesh Shechter

Lighting Design: Tom Visser

Original Costume Design: Osnat Kelner

Dance: Tristan Carter, Cristel de Frankrijker, Justine Gouache, Zakarius Harry, Alex Haskins, Oscar Jinghu Li, Keanah Faith Simin, Chanel Vyent

Music Score: Hofesh Shechter

Additional Music: Frank Sinatra, Claude François, Jacques Revaux/ Paul Anka, Johann Sebastian Bach

Production Team:

Technical Manager Oran O’Neill

Re-lighter Alan Valentine

Production: Hofesh Shechter Company

Co-production: Düsseldorf Festival!/ Espace 1789, Saint-Ouen
Supported by: Théâtre de la Ville, Paris/ Teatro Comunale Città di Vicenza

Production residency: Arts Depot, London

Contemporary Dance 2.0 is produced by Hofesh Shechter Company and co-commissioned by Düsseldorf Festival!, Espace 1789 Saint-Ouen, with production support from Théâtre de la Ville Paris, Teatro Comunale Città di Vicenza, and a production residency at Arts Depot, London.

Hofesh Shechter Company gratefully receives support towards the delivery of Shechter II 2022, which includes Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation and core funding from John Ellerman Foundation.

Hofesh Shechter Company is supported using public funding through Arts Council England and benefits from the support of BNP Paribas Foundation for the development of its projects.