Description
What sounds so upbeat in the context of “Disco Inferno” suggests something quite different in connection with our heating planet: The fire we all burn, our collective actions, are driving global temperatures ever higher. We remain caught in a dance of denial while the heat continues to increase. Guillaume Côté is looking to spark a counter-fire. For him, burning symbolizes passion and intensity, a source of strength that can be used to bring about the change we so urgently need. For over twenty years, Côté was one of the defining stars of The National Ballet of Canada, where he also choreographed several full-length creations. Now he leads a company that employs a highly physical, athletic style to achieve maximum dramatic impact. The music for this work has been composed by Amos Ben-Tal, who once danced with Nederlands Dans Theatre and is now both a rock musician and a composer. “It's about the flame we carry within us,” says Guillaume Côté – will this fire destroy us or save us?
Duration: approx. 60 minutes no intermission
Age guidance: from 6 years
The choreography is rich with gestural work, enhanced by an added pulse and rhythm, and the dancers transition seamlessly between the group’s collective pulse and other solo and duet sequences. — The Dance Debrief
The physicality of the piece is intense, with constantly shifting, layered sections that offer plenty to take in. High-energy, fast-paced group sequences keep the audience fully engaged, contrasting with slower, more intricate duets and solos. The piece builds beautifully from start to finish, leading to a neat, cinematic ending (which I won’t spoil). — The Dance Debrief
“Burn Baby, Burn” has a sense of cohesion that contemporary works sometimes lack. There are no projections or text, so the subject matter is instead conveyed through Amos Ben-Tal’s drum-and-guitar soundscape and various onstage ephemera. — What/If Arts: Cultural Speculation from Rebecca Ritzel, Kanada
