Last night at the premiere of the latest production by Alida Dors at Theater Rotterdam, I came to face with a reflection on humanity that was undeniably honest, bold and utterly immersive. (Sur)render is a multimodal production where Dor’s choreography meets the dynamic live music by the HAYP band and the breath-taking video art of Geert Mul, to create an unabashed commentary on how we, as humans, need to change the way we live if we want to survive the brunt of our actions.
The performance features rhythmic poetry throughout its course which acts as a fine thread strongly weaving through the narrative. What stands out the most to me is the fact that even though the entire performance is intense and strongly opinionated, it still leaves room for individual interpretations. It is an urgent call but a call to introspect, nevertheless.
The choreography is crafted and executed exceptionally. For me, its heart resided in mastering the fluidity of movements. The show was based on how humans interact with each other in this age of rampant capitalism, to depict the utter frustration that plagues us, and what freedom from this vicious cycle looks like. This is commendably achieved by the dancers’ seamless transitions and expressive physicality. Theatricality was at the core of the performance – every gesture, every shift in dynamics spoke volumes – as if the dancers were embodying unspoken dialogues. Their formations struck a delicate balance between precision and organic flow, reinforcing the choreography’s overarching theme. The contrast between fragments of sharp isolation and fluid motions mirrored the contradiction of modern existence – constrained yet relentless.
The performance becomes even more provocative, in the best possible way, when it is paired with the live music by the band HAYP. It greeted me most unexpectedly, carrying the performance with its stealthy beats but also catching us off guard – almost challenging us to make sense of it. The music created a dynamic sonic landscape that heightened the intensity of the choreography. As crucial as the language of body movements and music was to the performance, the visual elements were the crowning jewel. The interplay of lights to create a range of environments, from urgency to ethereality, was fantastic. The video art particularly added to the discomfort the show wanted to create. I enjoyed how the props used within the show, be it the gigantic electrical fans, or a huge other-worldly being – that took all of us by surprise, were used as elements of personification.
Most of all, I loved how (Sur)render did not shy away from making its audience uncomfortable. Every artistic choice felt intentional – while the execution remained refined, the focus was never merely on aesthetics. Instead, the strength and relevance of the visual elements took centre stage, serving as a powerful medium to evoke emotion and provoke thought.
At one point, the dancers start laughing in an almost manic way, and that to me was the most haunting part of the performance, because of how relatable it felt. The shock of this realisation and relatability, of how we need to question the ways of our life, was I think the aim of the show and it has achieved it flawlessly. What I saw on stage felt like a representation of the chaotic perils of being a human, and translating something so abstract through dance is commendable. Atulya Jain 22nd February 2025
The tour of (Sur)render will continue until 12th April
