What will your mother say when she sees your dead body

A captivating dance performance inspired by Henry Ford's attempt to create a utopian city, in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon. The narrative explores themes of dreams, ambitions, and fantasies, reflecting the concept of utopia.

The performance is divided into two distinct parts, each with its own unique set design and atmosphere.

In the first part, the stage begins empty, giving space to a new world. The minimalist set design emphasizes simplicity and the idea of starting anew. The stage is divided by a rope covered with a rescue blanket, creating a boundary that serves as a visual focal point. Sixteen dancers appear one by one from the silver tent. Plexiglass elements, used like puzzle pieces, are methodically arranged on stage, representing the construction of a new world. A significant feature of this part is the "mirror carousel," a platform on wheels with plexiglass sheets that are both reflective and transparent. This carousel allows for a dynamic interplay of reflections and transparency, central themes in the set design. The dancers' interactions with these elements create a mesmerizing visual effect, adding to the feeling of a broken yet unified utopian vision.

In the second part, the set design evolves to reflect a warmer, more vibrant atmosphere as the utopian society emerges and flourishes. The transition features a change in colors and spectacular costumes. Six rope curtains, made from over 7 kilometers of rope, drop from the ceiling, creating large triangular gates. These gates create new passages and dynamic shapes as they deform and shift throughout the performance, symbolizing the fluidity and adaptability of the emerging society. The floor becomes reflective, adding to the visual complexity and emphasizing themes of self-reflection and transformation. As the performance progresses, the rope curtains break and fall, to allow for a fresh start, once more. The dancers reflect this transformation, moving from uncertain beginnings to confident strides, embodying the journey towards a self-assured and radiant utopia.

Fordlandia uses its set design to underscore the narrative of utopia, from its inception on a blank canvas to its vibrant realization, creating a powerful visual and emotional journey for the audience.

Title What will your mother say when she sees your dead body

Program Set & Costume Design

Premiere Poreia Theatre

Date 12 May 2024

Author: Argiro Vovou

Direction: Despoina-Dorina Remiedaki

Set & Costume design: Tina Tzoka

Video & Photography: Christos Symeonidis

Light design: Nafsika Christodoulakou

Music: Panú

Assistant to the set designer: Kiriaki Forti

Assistant to the costume designer: Aristea Stefanoudaki

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