porvenir is the new project of research and scenic creation where we deal with the time to come by divesting it of its sense of future. Rather, we anchor it to the present and to the space that recieves us. We free it from the possibility of projecting itself into a 'beyond' or of transcending into another time that lays ahead.
Our particular sense of future is a moment that remains and sustains the now, that unfolds to transform the present, operating in the real alteration of that what is at hand.
We could be speaking of a present future; an uncertain hereafter facing a horizon that goes from showing us a progressive path towards conquest to showing itself as the gorge that precipitates towards collapse.
In reality, neither of the two situations is actually realised, everything is suspended in a time and space of the now. Moving from a possible "non-place" of undecidability (no-where) to a territory of the spatial and temporal present (now-here).
It is presented to us as an ephemeral landscape with its own rules, an indomitable space. A place of transit in which, alone and dispossessed of any capacity for domination, we can only dimension and reflect on our location in the universal order.
Another core of interest is to delve into the notion of folklore, in an exercise of deciphering how it is constructed. We understand folklore as a flexible space of shared agreements and routines with the common objective of being places for community encounters and the generation of identities. Folklore travels through time as oral or sonorous transmissions, in action or in the form of objects with which a community identifies itself.
The repetitive action of two bodies on stage installs an idea of familiar routine. A system that is established in the course of time that is resized, which brings us closer to the mechanism by which the traditional operates. These bodies pass on this knowledge, which is inscribed in muscle and space in the midst of an impermanent temporal mass. They hollow out, bore the spatial mass; an action of mutual accomodation between the one and the others, in a relationship of interdependence; of sustaining and supporting each other.
A welcoming space for the two bodies that make it up. A refuge.
A shelter in which to inhabit what is to come, which is already happening.
artistic team
bodyscape: Alba Barral y Javier Arozena
landscape: Gino Senesi
lightscape: Horne Horneman
soundscape: Lautaro Reyes
Pictures by Mila Ercoli
The critic says:
Future – saT! (Dansat Festival)
By Mariona Fernández (especaculosbcn.com 25/10/2024, Barcelona)
“ Future, a set of elements that merge space and time
"What is Porvenir? It's that." That's how Javier Arozena, choreographer and director of the company, defines his new work, and he's not wrong. Don't try to find a story, a moral, or even a meaning, because you won't find it. Porvenir is felt; it evokes emotion and invites you to reflect.
Porvenir is not just a duet by Javier Arozena and Anna Barral, but a collection of elements that, when fused together, bring this work to life. Light, sound, space, and the dancers all contribute to a piece as magnificent as it is unsettling, leaving a lingering sense of disquiet and reflection.
A synchronicity of bodies in a raw space
The beauty of dance lies in the coordination between two bodies that converse without words, but Javier Arozena and Alba Barral go even further. Both perform flawlessly on stage, and it's astonishing how they connect. Each has their own space, without a fixed direction, simply in the here and now, yet with a pristine synchronicity of movements, at times almost robotic.
The dancers find themselves on a stark, minimalist stage, devoid of scenery or curtains. Only cables on the floor and speakers. The duo explores the space through folklore, understood not as shared traditions and customs but as the idea of repetition. Their choreography consists of monotonous, simple movement patterns that fuse the dance experience of both performers.
A time bubble
The piece is surprising for its leisurely pace. We're used to shows that demand our constant attention, where a single lapse in concentration can cause you to miss something important. But Porvenir challenges that dynamic. There's no specific focus; it's a work with its own rhythm, forcing the viewer to adapt to it.
At times it slows down even too much, but even if you get distracted, the show is still there, breathing in its own time.
Porvenir, a very complete show
It's astonishing how the team has managed to make the space an essential part of the work. As the piece progresses, the stage changes: now cables, a dim spotlight, and curtains that gradually close in the space, framing the dancers more and more and bringing them closer to the audience.
Light also plays a very important role. The entire work is based on the contrast between light and darkness. On the one hand, it's very interesting because it leaves room for the imagination, for the viewer to reflect on what they are seeing (or not seeing). At times, it's even so dim that it makes it difficult to see what's happening on stage.
The entire performance unfolds to the rhythm of metallic sounds that descend into a monotonous trance and merge with the repetitive movements of the performers, almost enveloping the audience in a hypnotic atmosphere. The musical power also lies in the carefully chosen silences, which generate tension and unease.
The uncertainty of the future
The future is understood in the unity of all its elements, each with its cyclical insistence that gradually changes. The future tenses and relaxes muscles, and continually leaves uncertainty about what is to come.