I BELIEVE THAT IF I ACT…

(…UPON THE DIMENSION OF TIME IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO FIND MYSELF AT THE PLACE WHERE I AM EXPECTED TO BE)

It is to an insoluble metaphysical problem, formulated around 465 B.C. as a paradox by Zeno of Elea, that Olga de Soto decides to confront herself in the solo I believe that if I act… (…upon the dimension of time it will be difficult to find myself at the place where I am expected to be). It is a challenge, set to herself, to tackle three of the four paradoxes in which the Greek philosopher asserted the non-existence of motion: the Race Course paradox, Achilles and the tortoise paradox and the Arrow paradox.

These are paradoxes of the absurd, says the choreographer, by which Zeno tried to demonstrate the non-existence of movement; and that is why Achilles will never be able to start the race, that he will never catch up with the tortoise (that has an infinite advantage and is uncatchable, despite its sure and unquestionable slowness) and that the action of the arrow shall be limited to stay suspended in an infinite succession of moments, without moving in the air, because according to Bertrand Russell in his The Problem of Infinity Considered Historically: "[…] the change of position has to occur between the instants, that is to say, not at any time whatever". And the chosen game in this adventure is to be the tortoise, Achilles and the arrow at different moments and at the same time, playing with possibilities that music and dance offers, and defying time and space. As if, following Borges's thread of thought in The Circular Ruins, it all was someone's dream dreamt by someone else in turn.
 

PRESS 

choreography, concept of the installation and performance Olga de Soto
music Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (Fantasia para piano forte, Sonata per il cembalo solo - Allegro assai), Thierry De Mey (Undo - monody for harpsichord), Baka pygmies (Hut Song)
lighting and sound Gaëtan van den Berg
costumes Isabelle Lhoas
realisation of the installation Patrick Vandewyer
construction Louis Broothaers

© Jorge León

TOUR CALENDAR

07 SEP 1993, Bergen Internasjonale Teater, Bergen (NO)
08 SEP 1993, Bergen Internasjonale Teater, Bergen (NO)
18 OCT 1993, Klapstuk ‘93, Leuven (BE)
19 OCT 1993, Klapstuk ‘93, Leuven (BE)
03 DEC 1993, Teatro Juan del Enzina, Actividades Culturales Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca (ES)
04 DEC 1993, Teatro Juan del Enzina, Actividades Culturales Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca (ES)
20 FEB 1994, Teatro Rialto, Dansa València, Valencia (ES)
27 MAY 1994, Transmarató, Mercat de les Flors, Barcelona (ES)
09 JUNE 1994, Duncan Center, Prague (CZ)
10 JUNE 1994, Duncan Center, Prague (CZ)
13 AUG 1994, Festival Reg’Arts, Floreffe (BE)
14 AUG 1994, Festival Reg’Arts, Floreffe (BE)
27 SEP 1994, La Raffinerie, Plan K, Brussels (BE)
28 SEP 1994, La Raffinerie, Plan K, Brussels (BE)
29 SEP 1994, La Raffinerie, Plan K, Brussels (BE)
14 NOV 1994, Gran Teatro de Alzira, Alzira (ES)
07 APR 1995, Festival Le Printemps danse, Le Botanique, Brussels (BE)
11 MAY 1995, Teatro Pradillo, Madrid en Danza, Madrid (ES)
12 MAY 1995, Teatro Pradillo, Madrid en Danza, Madrid (ES)
13 MAY 1995, Teatro Pradillo, Madrid en Danza, Madrid (ES)
14 MAY 1995, Teatro Pradillo, Madrid en Danza, Madrid (ES)
21 OCT 1995, 5 anos de RE.AL, Centro Cultural de Malaposta, Lisbon (PT)
22 OCT 1995, 5 anos de RE.AL, Centro Cultural de Malaposta, Lisbon (PT)
16 APR 1996, CCCB, Barcelona (ES)
17 APR 1996, CCCB, Barcelona (ES)
08 APR 1997, L’Hippodrome Scène Nationale, Douai (FR)