Review: Naharin’s Venezuela and Cherkaoui’s Fall at Visavì

The Visavì Gorizia Dance Festival recently drew attention with its presentation of two significant national premieres performed at major theatres in the border region between Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia. These performances highlighted the festival’s commitment to showcasing contemporary dance through a blend of internationally acclaimed choreographers and regional ballet companies.

At Gorizia’s Teatro Comunale Giuseppe Verdi, the Croatian National Theatre from Rijeka, performing under its historical connection to Giuseppe Verdi yet now named after Ivan Zajc, premiered Ohad Naharin’s Venezuela. This work, originally created for the Batsheva Dance Company in 2017, is a distinctive two-part choreographic exploration that intriguingly repeats its initial segment with variations in cast and stage elements. The title Venezuela, though evocative of the South American country, actually stems from a Hebrew wordplay conceived by Naharin, shortened to a phonetically appealing term for broader accessibility.

Naharin’s choreography in Venezuela is known for its fluidity, marked by a blend of slow, deliberate movement and sudden bursts of intensity, a hallmark of his signature dance language called Gaga. The Croatian company embraced this style, delivering performances characterized by individual expressiveness within group dynamics. The dancers’ use of handheld microphones to vocalize lyrics from a notably explicit Notorious B.I.G. track underscored the piece’s eclectic and provocative nature.

Visually, the production utilized minimalist lighting and stage design, featuring a black box setting and the symbolic use of white rectangular sheets in the first half, which transformed into simplified national flags in the second. These flags included those of Ukraine, Britain, Germany, Japan, and Palestine, the latter reflecting Naharin’s openly stated political stance and adding a layer of social commentary to the work. The repetition within the piece created a sense of déjà vu, emphasizing shifts in interpretation between different dancers and elements.

Just across the border at the Slovene National Theatre in Nova Gorica, the Ballet of the Serbian National Theatre introduced Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s Fall, a piece first crafted for the Royal Ballet of Flanders in 2015. This ballet, performed only days after its debut in Novi Sad, drew inspiration from the imagery of autumn and the physical theme of falling, using movement to explore gravity’s pull and human vulnerability.

Cherkaoui’s choreography is supported by a haunting score from composer Arvo Pärt, including the well-known Spiegel im Spiegel, which brings a contemplative and almost hypnotic quality to the hour-long performance. The large ensemble of over thirty dancers executed a combination of ensemble sequences, duets, and solos with technical precision and emotional depth. The women performed on pointe while the men wore socks, a visual choice that reinforced the contrast and dynamics onstage.

The stage design for Fall incorporated white fabric panels that interacted with lighting to evoke natural elements like wind and water, enhancing the thematic resonance of the piece. Lighting designer Sander Loonen and set designer Fabiana Piccioli created an immersive environment that supported the choreography’s fluid transitions and the work’s overall atmospheric mood. Costume designer Kimie Nakano opted for neutral, casual garments that complemented the production’s understated aesthetic.

Both works exemplify the festival’s ability to bring cutting-edge dance to a regional audience while engaging with complex cultural and political themes. Naharin’s Venezuela confronts identity and nationalism through symbolic imagery and movement, while Cherkaoui’s Fall meditates on nature, human fragility, and interconnectedness. The performances by the Croatian and Serbian companies demonstrate the high caliber of regional dancers capable of interpreting demanding contemporary choreography.

The Visavì Gorizia Dance Festival continues to foster the cross-pollination of artistic ideas within the Central European dance scene, offering audiences a diverse program that juxtaposes provocative, socially conscious works with lyrical, abstract explorations of form and emotion. Details on future programming remain forthcoming, but the recent premieres suggest a strong commitment to innovation and regional collaboration.