'F' & 'G' Nelson & Malvacias

by Veronica Posth
(Berlin, Germany)

‘F’ & ‘G’ by and with Jeremy Nelson and Luis Lara Malvacias is a joined performance composed by two pieces presented at Radial System Berlin.

‘F’ stays for field, ‘G’ for ground.
Their aim is to develop a sequence for every letter of the alphabet based on a research in progress composed by structured improvisations.

The concept of their work is based on a reflection about time, how it changes prospectives and the performances of the body. In this work seems that the time has consumed forces and altered feats of the two dancers.

In ‘F’ the stage is empty besides a little table, two chairs and a pack of cards which is the set where they relax and talk.

As two old friends in their studio, the spectators look at the solo improvisation performed by the two one after the other followed by each others feedbacks mentioning parts they liked and being supporting and helpful to each other while they give constructive feedbacks.

During their improvisation based dance they appear as they would struggle with speed and diverse movements with different tempo as the time and research go on.

Looking at these two aged bodies moving in their individual way, the mind starts thinking about the passage of time entering in a state of introspection. Thoughts about the ageing process foster consideration about the complexity of dealing with a changing body.
As the time goes on the body potential and its faculties change.

Perceptivity that is strongly called into investigation is something that defines moments, movements and ways of being.

Slowly the first performance ends without a clear ending due to the work in progress and the audience is invited to move to the other side of the stage that has been specifically set designed with lights, plants and other gadgets.

Here, in ‘G’ , the dancers are mostly moving on the floor that becomes a platform to find paths between several obstacles. Interrupted and changing music is played sometimes softer, some others louder. Is it a metaphor for life with its interruptions and the constant change of directions?

Or maybe is it an ongoing research about the possibilities within a common ground?

It seems that the two artists are working on themselves and with each other interrogating the sense of time, their changed bodies and dance as something that can trigger questions but also allow reaching significant answers.

Submitted to contemporary-dance.org the 7th March 2019