The Ballad of the Critic and The Magnetic Ballerina

Another Example of Brilliant Criticism... sigh

Andrea Miltner's Dance of the Magnetic Ballerina is one of the most anticipated shows in this year's manipulate. I sent over a few questions and in my first, manage to miss the point... Read on....Reading your biography, I noticed that it mentioned 'the baroque': do you have a special interest in the baroque - and what inspired this?

I would say I have a passion for baroque dance, music and sculpture, which was inspired over ten years ago by a very enriching experience dancing in an authentic production of Rameau's Castor and Pollux at the National Theatre in Prague. I was very privileged to work on this production - the creative team was French, all of whom were both experts and enthusiasts of the baroque and their love of their particular field of knowledge was contagious.

Living in Prague this fascination is nourished on a daily basis, since much of the old town is baroque and the wonderful spirals of baroque statuary are everywhere. What fascinates me about the dance style is its deep association with the music (interestingly the dancing master accompanied rehearsals on a 'pochette', a small violin, which is indicative of the musical intelligence of the dancers at the time), its complex rhythms and its use of space. It is these aspects that influence my own creations when working in the baroque style.

However Dance of the Magnetic Ballerina is a different genre altogether and has nothing to do with the baroque!

Andrea Miltnerova

Rooted to the spot on a platform surrounded by light, the magnetic ballerina flutters, shivers and shimmers for her audience. Stark and intensely beautiful, this is the UK premiere of Czech artist Andrea Miltnerova’s striking dance solo.

Alone in a darkened auditorium, the magnetic ballerina will dance her way into our subconscious.

“Obsessive discipline, obsessive symmetry, authoritative geometry of movement annihilate her magnetic ballerina, from which there is no other way out than self destruction. It is, of course, ravishingly beautiful and a thrilling self-destruction through movement” (Nina Vangeli, Dance Zone, Czech Republic)

Manipulate 2015: an introduction

Although 'festival' has become a bit of a buzzword (it gets applied to anything that isn't a one-off event), manipulate has remained loyal to its possibilities as a celebration of a particular strand of performance, and advances the presence of 'visual art' within Scotland. Combining support for local and emerging artists, notably through the free Snapshots programme, and the presentation of internationally acclaimed artists, it encompasses both the eclecticism of the medium and the dynamic curatorial instinctives of artistic director Simon Hart.

Every year, manipulate inspires a discussion around the definition of visual art. Since this year's selections include choreography (The Dance of the Magnetic Ballerina), puppetry (Autumn Portraits) and circus (Unchained), Hart's definition refuses to draw clear limitation. The emphasis on the moving image as the carrier of information (moving, because it is theatre, and image rather than relying more on, say, script or music) becomes the chief characteristic, and one that allows the parallel programme of animated film to sit comfortably within the festival.

Manipulate manages to satisfy audiences unfamiliar with visual theatre (the quality of the photographs advertising each piece is likely to draw in new crowds) by offering an overview of the state of the art: equally, the programme's survey of international companies, and the workshops, brings new experiences for the veteran fan or artist. Unlike the Edinburgh Fringe, which is eclectic but lacks much curation, manipulate is a concentrated burst of specific performance. 

DANCE OF THE MAGNETIC BALLERINA