The Waste Land

It was one hundred years ago that T.S. Eliot wrote the legendary poem The Waste Land in which he sketched the contours of a world in tatters. Now in 2023, we again seem to be in crisis. According to Marco Gerris (ISH Dance Collective choreographer) and Candid Thompson (artistic director of Amsterdam Sinfonietta) a lack of connection with oneself, with others, and with the world around us adds to our isolation. How can we stay above water when feelings of loneliness and isolation threaten to drag us down?

The classical compositions from the Amsterdam Sinfonietta in combination with high-wire acrobats and hiphop dancers create magical images that have never before been seen in traditional concert halls. – Marco Gerris

In this performance, Amsterdam Sinfonietta and ISH Dance Collective explore the universal theme of decline and rebirth. The dancers seem literally to break out of the space in an explosive choreography, at times close to the ground, high in the air, or walking up walls and ceilings.

The music, by the Iranian composer Farokhzad Layegh provides a connecting link that is supplemented by compositions from Igor Stravinsky, Max Richter, and Rik Ronner. This is a performance in which musicians and dancers challenge one another to push the boundaries of their various music styles and dance forms.