Salvation and performance
In many traditional ballets, salvation or redemption emerges as the key narrative element — the resolutionof a complex dramatic plot. The figure who brings about this resolution acts as the agent of transformation, the catalyst who restores balance or offers hope. Over time, choreographers have reimagined these redemptive arcs, altering the course and meaning of the stories they bring to life, shaped by their ideological leanings and the historical contexts in which they worked. Depending on the identity of the resolving agent, different scenic perspectives and dramaturgical outcomes unfold. Moreover, dance itself — even abstract ballet devoid of narrative — invites reflection on the transience of the human body. As a form of art rooted in something so fragile, fleeting and mortal, dance constantly raises questions about presence, disappearance and the possibility of achieving salvation through permanence. These themes have been central to my writing on performance and dance.
︎ Beauty Reawakens (La belle au bois dormant) – Paris Opéra Ballet
︎ The Resistance of Love (Sylvia) – Paris Opéra Ballet
︎ Emerging Voices at the POB (Danseurs Choréographes) – Paris Opéra Ballet
︎ Toward Azure Distances (Spectacle de l'École de Danse) – Paris Opéra Ballet
︎ No Escape to the Dream (Il lago dei cigni) – La Scala
︎ A Starry Night in Verona (Roberto Bolle and Friends) – Arena di Verona
