CASTILLO

CASTILLO is among show-experiences in which feeling and sensation overrides narrative. The sole dancer in this performance, Jana Castillo, suffers from a movement disorder that Prue Lang has made central to the piece. With its original textures, whether tactile, sonic or visual, this three-part show immediately appeals to our sensory perception.

For the Australian choreographer Prue Lang, dance is better suited than any other discipline to explore the notion of “physical intelligence.” In CASTILLO, her research takes the form of a solo piece danced by the eponymous artist, Jana Castillo, with whom Lang had already established a common language in her previous creation. Structured in three parts, each preceded by videos that take us into the “factory” of the show, the portrait of the performer is also, in a way, that of the choreographer and above all, of her singular method. Affected by Dystonia, a disorder characterized by involuntary prolonged muscle contractions, Castillo shares an acute sensitivity to the issue of neurodiversity with the stage director. This is one of the subjects of this solo, also marked by a shared reflection on the taxonomy of touch, and by the use of “Theraputty” – a therapeutic kneadable paste opening the dancer to new sensations – as a creative tool.  

Text: © Anaïs Heluin

Photo: © Anne Moffat