★★★✰✰
Setting a ballet to Leonard Cohen’s rich and profound body of work is an exciting prospect to say the least. While he has been labelled as “the godfather of gloom,” his songs have since garnered a devoted following for their broad range of emotions captured. From the bitter lament of love and loss in ‘Hallelujah’ to the intimate and tender sentiment expressed in ‘Suzanne’, his music paints a raw and compelling portrait of the grand cycles of human experience.
As balletic movements are expressive in nature, it seems like the perfect medium to explore the intense imagery and depth of Cohen’s lyrics. Internationally renowned contemporary dance choreographers Andonis Foniadakis, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Ihsan Rustem are presented with the task of putting movement to several of Cohen’s songs which will be brought to life by Ballet Jazz Montréal. The result is Dance Me, an eighty-minute homage to the famed artist bursting with athletic choreography and striking visual components.
While there is minimal staging, lighting plays a key role throughout the show, often utilised to punctuate the most poignant moments in the song. The first number ‘Here It Is’ showcases this element very well as the lights focus solely on the dancer’s hands miming heartbeats to mirror the persona’s dramatic confrontation with death. Against a mostly dark backdrop, audiences can marvel at the technical prowess and beautiful physicality of the dancers as their bodies are illuminated, often in the spotlight.
There is a haunting biographical detail to the show as extracts from Cohen’s spoken word poems and interviews are interspersed with the songs. Segues are often triggered by a shadowy figure who stalks across the stage in an iconic fedora hat and raincoat—unmistakably a ghostly echo of Cohen himself. As much of his repertoire was deeply intense and personal, his ethereal presence is a fitting addition, making this tribute all the more intimate.
While these technical and artistic choices are impressive, the standout element of the show has to be the dancers’ impeccable stamina in executing the complicated choreography with such precision, passion and grace. Their harmonious fluidity is a testament to their immense training and dedication, with the poetic complexities of Cohen’s songs effectively condensed in passionate duets. ‘Dance Me to the End of Love’ perfectly illustrates this as the male dancer moves through partners, neatly expressing various emotional stages in relationships from intense yearning to the painful but inevitable parting.
Every section is a blast of kinetic energy with practically each new lyric introducing a new lift, jump or turn. While packing in so many fast and dynamic movements is initially very striking, the dances gradually start to feel overloaded and repetitive, with audiences unsure where to direct their attention. Having some slower and sensual Pas de Deux spliced in between these fast-paced dances would allow the audience— and dancers—to catch their breath as well as adding thrill to these high energy sections.
In light of this, it seems a shame that ‘Hallelujah’—arguably one of Cohen’s most recognisable hit songs—didn’t have any dance accompaniment. The singers were instead alone on stage, allowing the weight of the lyrics and their enchanting vocals to take over. Their performance was sublime but the song’s slow tempo presented the perfect opportunity for a raw and tender adagio.
Despite these missed opportunities, the production offers an engaging tribute to one of Montreal’s greatest ambassadors. Dance, music, lighting, scenography, and videography entwine to create a vibrant celebration of Cohen as an artist, with the impeccably agile performers and innovative use of lighting accentuating the emotional depth of his music catalogue.
Words by Katie Heyes
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