Kor’sia’s Mont Ventoux draws inspiration from humanist and poet Francesco Petrarca’s (1304–1374) text Ascent of Mont Ventoux, often viewed as the beginning of renaissance humanism. The dark Middle Ages were left behind, and the human was placed back to the center.
In that same spirit, Kor’sia collective turns the gaze to the individual to seek answers to the modern day conflicts and the ecological crisis: what changes humans must make in order to rebuild both themselves and our planet?
In Mont Ventoux nine dancers hurl themselves into the tempo and struggles of modern life, racing towards a change. Behind a glass wall, the snow-covered summit of Mont Ventoux looms, a quiet yet powerful reminder of nature’s enduring presence and pull. A better future may lie at the peak – but on the way to the top we must leave behind the relentless pace of modern life, encounter curious creatures and rekindle humanist values and our connection with nature.
Production
Created by Kor’sia Collective with the support of:
Conde Duque Contemporary Culture Center (Spain), Tanzplattform Rhein Main (Germany),
Hessisches Staatsballet (Germany), Roma Europa Festival (Italy), The Watermill Center (USA), Festival Bolzano Danza – Fondazione Haydn di Bolzano e Trento (Italy), Grec Festival- Barcelona Festival (Spain), Tero Saarinen Company (Finland), Istituto Italiano di Cultura de Madrid (Spain), OperaEstate Festival Veneto (Italy)
Duration
60 minutes
Premiere
19 October 2023, Madrid, Spain
Tero Saarinen's note
“A central theme in Kor’sia’s works is humanity and the relationship between human beings and nature – the importance of a person finding calmness, and becoming more attuned to nature and its diverse shapes. In Mont Ventoux, alongside the great theme of connection with nature, emerge the values of the Renaissance, as well as the human ability to navigate constant change.
A characteristic for Kor’sia’s works is that they are total works of art. The pieces I have seen are physically demanding, yet they always carry a clear message. Mont Ventoux contains intergenerational depth, humanism, courage and hopefulness. Qualities that I believe, have helped propel the creators to international success.”
– Tero Saarinen
Interview with the makers
In an interview Kor’sia’s founders and Mont Ventoux’s choreographers Mattia Russo and Antonio de Rosa and the creation’s dramaturge Agnés Lopez Rio, they share what inspired them to create the piece and what are their dreams for the future for the performing arts.
Tell us more of the inspiration that led you to create Mont Ventoux?
Mattia: We found the inspiration for this piece while we were in Switzerland and Antonio was reading Francesco Petrarca’s Ascent of Mont Ventoux. From our window we had this view of a big mountain looking back at us every day. We started thinking: why not take this mountain as a metaphoric idea for the new piece? And bit by bit the concept of the work became clearer.
How did you involve the dancers in the creative process?
Mattia: The choreography is created in collaboration with the dancers. At Kor’sia, we always work in this way – we give the dancers a task and a lot of the choreographic material comes from their improvisation. We then layer this material onto the dramaturgy and music. It’s really nice to share a concept with them and see how they develop it through their bodies.
Could you tell us more about the main theme of Mont Ventoux?
Agnès: The main theme comes from Petrarca’s book, where he relates us to the idea of humanism. How humanism was a change of the paradigma in how we as human beings consider our place and way of being in the world. Looking back at humanism we propose that we should first make a change within ourselves, in order to create a new vision, a new relationship with our environment and with nature. It’s a change we have to do within ourselves, to be able to relate better to others and to the world around us.
Could you tell us more about the stage and lighting design, and the role of music and sound in Mont Ventoux?
Antonio: For us, all the elements are important. They need to be coherent with the concept of the piece, with the dramaturgy and in connection to each other. On stage we wanted to create a sense of two worlds, the nature and the human. To achieve this, the light, music, and scenography must work in close dialogue.
Agnès: In Petrarca’s book he is making an ascent. We needed the piece to travel, but we had to find ways to achieve this within the boundaries of the stage.
How do you intend this piece to resonate with audiences?
Agnès: The main theme is sustainability within ourselves, and we really wanted to approach this idea from a very hopeful place. We feel like right now society is overshadowed by discourse that is very dark. We think that we need hope in order to shift our vision, to make change within ourselves. We need to believe change is possible – to have the energy to make it happen.
Mattia: And it’s nice to do it through dance.
What are your hopes for the future of performing arts?
Agnès: We see human beings from a holistic perspective. Dance has always been the art of the body, and its great excellence lies in its ability to perceive the human being as a whole. Dance has the power to create sensitive bodies, not only through the dancers themselves but also in those who experience it as an audience. We really think that the 21st century needs more sensitive bodies to create a better society for all of us.
Mattia: To bring dance, for example, into schools, and to give children a chance to visit theatres is really important – it gives them a chance to take a closer to this world. We hope that dance can find its way into the bodies and minds of many people.
The interview is written based on Kor’sia’s interview with FEDORA Platform, which you can watch in its entirety on FEDORA’s YouTube channel.
About Kor'sia
Kor’sia is a Madrid-based artistic collective, founded in 2015, dedicated to creating dance works that explore the human experience through the language of movement. The collective is led by choreographers and directors Antonio de Rosa and Mattia Russo, co-founder and visual arts researcher Giuseppe Dagostino, and performing arts professor and artistic advisor Agnès López-Río. Together, they bring in collaborators from across disciplines such as music, cinema, fashion, and literature.
At the heart of their work is the belief that the arts – especially the performing and movement arts –hold an unique power. Through their multidisciplinary approach, the collective seeks to craft artistic experiences that reflect the complexity of modern existence and offer new ways of being.
Reviews
“Mont Ventoux is a beautiful metaphor for the horrible fast-paced life we lead. – crisp, virtuosic and precise on one side; lyrical, emotive, slow and quasi-neo-classical on the other.”
SUSYQ MAGAZINE, Omar Kan
“Kor'sia raises its own bar with a carefully crafted and successful production inspired by Petrarch, a theatrical achievement of merit. The evolutions of the highly intoned, rhythmic ensemble become spiritually uplifting.”
EL PAIS, Roger Salas
“The dance performed by the Kor'sia performers stands out for its mastery of movement that touches the heights of expressiveness. The dancers seem to be aware of every muscular fibre of their bodies, activated according to uncommon dynamics and transitions from one movement to the next in the name of extreme lightness and reactivity. Kor'sia's performance lights up the stage of the Romaeuropa Festival.”
Idea and direction: Mattia Russo and Antonio de Rosa
Choreography: Mattia Russo and Antonio de Rosa in collaboration with the performers
Dancers: Benoît Couchot, Angela Dematte, Samuel Dilkes, Emilie Leriche, Helena Olmedo,Andrew Scott, Dovydas Strimaitis, Martina Anniciello and Edoardo Brovardi
Dramaturgy: Agnès López-Río
Scenography: Amber Vandenhoeck in collaboration with Mattia Russo and Antonio deRosa/ Kor’sia
Original music: Alejandro Da Rocha. Original Song: Raquel Tort Vázquez
Costume: Costume design and creative direction Luca Guarini. In collaboration with AitorGoikoetxea, Levi’s (all denim).
Production: Gabriel Blanco and Paola Villegas, Andrea Mendez (Spectare)
Technical direction: Meritxell Cabanas
Technical team
Tero Saarinen Company Technical Director Ville Konttinen
Technician
Vincent Masse
Lighting Supervisor Rasmus Kallio
Dance House Helsinki
Stage Manager
Joshua Krohn
Stage Manager
Jeff Campbell
TAITO
Lighting Technician
Valtteri Halonen
Tero Saarinen Company | Production
Artistic Director Tero Saarinen
Managing Director Iiris Autio
Head of Communications Paula Rahtu
Head of Production and Touring Carita Weissenfelt
Administrative coordinator
Salla Hokkanen
Production Coordinator Anni Jokimies
Communications and Marketing Specialist Veera Mietola
Video materials Mikko Lampinen
Digital evening programme Veera Mietola
Purchased Technical Services
Technical Equipment Dry Hire Miika Granholm
CAPITAL AV
Technical Crew Services Teatteripalvelu TAITO Oy
With thanks to
Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation
“Dance has exceptional potential in this time that is so strongly marked by alienation from the body. Dance is my attempt to understand human nature and its multiple manifestations – friendship, love and strength of spirit.
With my dance I want to reach the unspoken, the inexplicable, the unnamed. I believe in dance that touches, in dance that speaks for itself.”
– Tero Saarinen
Tero Saarinen Company creates, performs, and teaches powerful and engaging contemporary dance. Founded in 1996, The Company has toured at leading venues in 40 countries on all continents. Three yearly seasons at Dance House Helsinki feature new works by Tero Saarinen and other choreographers along with international guest performances and the group’s own classics.
TSC’s activities also include teaching TERO Technique internationally and a residency programme at TSC Studio, located at the Cable Factory, Helsinki.
Tero Saarinen Company’s core objective is to improve people’s relationship with their own bodies, themselves and other people through movement and holistic dance that tap into primal energies.
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