Oh Well

A dance duet by Emmalena Fredriksson that explores our relationship to romanticism and what it means to be together in two’s, both on stage and in romantic partnership.

Two dancers wearing identical costumes, move in perfect unison, through complicated impossible tasks, independently and in co-dependence. The dance is intersected with texts based on previous relationships, romantic experiences, fairy tales and online dating dialogues. Drawing its title from Cinderella and with music and movements that pull on our heart strings, “making a dance piece about love and romanticism may seem cliché” says Fredriksson, “but the truth is we’re all faced with preconceived ideas and expectations around love and romantic relationships.”

Entering her 30’s, Fredriksson was surprised how often she would get asked if she was married and if she had or wanted kids, compared to her male colleagues. “I felt like I needed to fulfill a social status of a heteronormative partnership in order to be truly successful, that no matter how good I am at my job, I would always be seen as better off if I was ‘rescued by a prince.’

Fredriksson got together with dancers Lexi Vajda and Francesca Frewer to talk, dance and explore individual and social ideas around love, from online dating to childhood stories, futuristic clones and dreams — the result is Oh Well.

Credits

created by

Emmalena Fredriksson, in collaboration with...

dancers

Lexi Vajda and Francesca Frewer

composer

Kiran Bhumber

dramaturge

Raïna von Waldenburg

video

Nancy Lee

Developed with support from

The Canada Council for the Arts, The Happening Dance, What Lab, British Columbia Arts Council, New Works and plastic orchid factory

photo

Erik Zennström

Coming Soon