Reflex

Created in 2013, REFLEX, the latest creation from Soul City Dance Company, is the alliance of three key figures of Reunion Island’s dance scene – directed by the uber talented choreographer and dancer: Didier Boutiana.

Reflex is the first creation by the choreographer Didier Boutiana. He is fascinated by the ability of urban dances to be performed in groups and to bring people together. He follows this living-together through the journey of a hip hop dance trio. 

The choreographer’s creative processes started when he encouraged his peers to improvise to dubstep: this is an experimental musical construction with an electronic sound and a syncopated rhythm, on the offbeat. He saw that the natural movements of improvisation are falls and rolls, which are performed to avoid impact with the ground. The dancer follows his intuition and frees himself through his reflexes. When one body leans on another the result is not a lift but rather an escape, like a refusal to make contact with the others. 

Dancing in a trio presents an obstacle for each dancer. Whereas duos are formed spontaneously, a third participant in the piece struggles to get near the duo. A counterbalance is often created by two people, leaning on each other in such a way that the third member is excluded.

Didier Boutiana is faithful to the Creole language and culture, and brings in Franky Lauret to declaim a capella and with music: “Gaya” and “Bwa la”, which are “fondkèr”, a poem, a state of mind. 

On stage, each dancer has his log of wood, with a rope tied around to be able to grip it and move it around: they are like obstacles, a personal burden to be dragged around the stage.  It is an ambivalent object, it represents an obstacle but enables the dancer to rise up. The trio is in search of a space for communication through movement but this is hampered by this ever-present burden.

Source : Lalanbik