Daniel Abreu (Spain)
The Slovak National Theatre – Studio, Bratislava
Price: 10 – 20 €
El Hijo An expressive solo performance by a distinguished figure in Spanish dance
Daniel Abreu, a renowned choreographer and performer, is a prominent figure in the Spanish dance scene. We are excited to present his work for the first time in Slovakia.
His evocative and artistically compelling solo, El hijo (Son), explores the special bonds with parents and places of the past, and the struggle to come to terms with them. Through dance, he conveys his experiences of the culture and environment around him, creating metaphor-rich imagery that narrates the story of existence within the broader context of life’s and nature’s cycles. His performance is both energetic and expressive.
Practical Information
Tickets: 20 € full price / 10 € students and seniors
Venue: Bratislava, Studio of the Slovak National Theatre (practical info)
Performance duration: 50 minutes
Shows:
ABOUT THE PIECE
From the very onset of my career as creator I have been swimming in nonlinear narrations. It’s a way of cooking with only natural ingredients, in which I examine the fragmented physicality, the open space, changing light, and an eclectic soundtrack. I do not conceive movement without an idea of the ever-changing lighting, space, and rhythm. The layers of the play move around a concept that captures my curiosity: in this case, offspring.
El hijo (The Son) talks of the special bonds to parents and places, and how to deal with them. In a certain way, offspring understand themselves as individuals unloosening from the bond, yet hopelessly entangled in a repetition of manners and actions. Something which can only be partially explained because at the end of the day individuals always carry within them the echoing reinterpretation of their particular story.
Man in nature is engendered from the wonders of birth, and from then on his development is conditioned by the preferences and culture that shape him and his path through life. I present this descendant through the poetics of imagery and sound, and without showing them, I talk of his progenitors, places, and, above all, the magic that brought him to life. Through dance I release the rejoicing of what it means to be alive and have a story to tell, the experience and enthusiasm of being a son, the relationship with natural cycles and systems, and with them, the combined reactions within and beyond that are bearing witness to one’s existence.
In the play, a present-day conscious body moves repeatedly between other worlds inaccessible to the naked eye. With events portrayed in light and shadow, these worlds affect us and guide us along our outer paths and inner feelings. As emotional beings, we are all affected by the context of events that unfold in nature. With these words, I present El hijo
“El hijo [‘The son’] distinguishes itself as one of those works that with its package of raw
talent and unmistakable craft will linger on in the memory forever.”
Mercedes L. Caballero
Credits
Creation, lighting design and interpretation: Daniel Abreu
Direction assistant: Janet Novás
Dramaturgy assistant: Marina Wainer
Music: collage
Accessories: Las practicables
Costume design: Leo Martínez and Daniel Abreu
Video projection and technical coordination: David Benito
Lighting design in collaboration with: Irene Cantero
Technicians: Jose Espigares, Cristina Prieto and Alfredo Diez
Photography: marcosGpunto
Managment: Esmanagment – Elena Santonja
Supported by Comunidad de Madrid
Supported on tour: INAEM
Collaborators: Centro Coreográfico Canal, Escuela de Música and Danza de Pozuelo, Provisional Danza and Teatro Victoria
Thanks to: Carlota Ferrer, Museo de la Universidad de Navarra, Festival de Otoño de Madrid, Dácil González, Carmen Werner, Carmen Fuentes, Mara, Carmen Benítez, Elena P., Sergio García, Centro Cultural Paco Rabal, Teatro Victoria, Festival Danzattack, Centro Cultural Eguía, Lava de Valladolid and Lucyanna Pettengil
DANIEL ABREU
Daniel is a dancer and choreographer, native to the island of Tenerife, where he began his inquisitive study of bodily movement and scenic expression. Moreover, during his artistic studies he also obtained a degree in psychology, something which transpires onto the deliberate poetic symbolism of his choreographies.
As a performer, he honed his dance skills in a variety of different dance companies and national dance or theatre organizations, and as a creator, he has amassed a wealth of experience from over fifty productions to date. These performances have been shown in many countries and their favourable reception by critics and audiences alike has led to various awards. As a result, Daniel Abreu has been one of the most renowned companies on the dance stage for years.
His company project emerged only in the year 2004, easy to forget given the sheer volume of creations and collaborations that have formed what we have come to know as the Daniel Abreu Company. As a consequence of all this creative work, Daniel Abreu has been invited to hold various workshops and courses, in which he shares his creative vision and techniques of bodily expression.
Daniel was also the artistic director of LAVA Compañía de Danza, the dance company of the Auditorio de Tenerife from 2018 until 2020. In addition, he continues to work closely on other projects with creators such as Fattoria Vittadini, the Zagreb Dance Company, the Nomadas Company, Titoyaya Company, and the Zawirowania Theatre, amongst others. In 2011, he also became part of a prestigious group of artists in the European programme called Modul Dance.
Amongst the many awards received throughout his extensive career, the most important are the National Dance Prize 2014 for Creation, awarded by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports; Ciudad de Cazorla Award in 2020; Abisal won the Best Dance Performance, Best Costume Design and Best Sound Design at Premios Réplica 2019; La Desnudez got the Prizes for Best Dance Performance, Best Choreography and Best Male Dancer at Premios Max 2018; the Prize for Best Director at the Indi-Festival of Santander 2010, the Jury’s Award for Best Choreography at the XVIII Choreographic Contest in Madrid 2015, the AISGE Foundation for Outstanding Dancer, certificate for attendance of the American Dance Festival 2005, received under the auspices of the XVIII Choreographic Contest of Madrid 2005, and mentioning as Best Dancer at the IV Choreographic Contest of Maspalomas, 1999.
In 2015, he was awarded the title of “Favourite Son” by the Town Council of Matanza de Acentejo, Tenerife.
DANIEL ABREU COMPANY
Founded in 2004, the Daniel Abreu Company is considered one of the most recognised on the Spanish stage. Daniel Abreu’s choreographic work is characterised by its simple performing language, the strength and personality of the dancers, the suggestive landscapes derived from the construction of magnificent oneiric and present-day images, and a sensitive sound experience. The various interpretations of the scenic images and the great poetic storytelling, characteristic of each work, prop up each of the performed creations in both solo and group format.
The Daniel Abreu team is made up of dancers devoted to the physical vocabulary and bodily communication. So far, the company has premiered more than fifty performances. The company has visited more than 40 countries in its regular tours around Europe, the Americas and Asia. Their popularity both with audiences and the specialized press has led to further support with an array of institutions such as the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, the Cervantes Institute, and the Madrid Community.
In 2011, the Daniel Abreu Company started its participation in the European programme, Modul Dance, led by the Mercat de les Flors.
Performance partners
