DEFENSA – Tesoro II

Choreographer Eva Ingemarsson continues to evolve the Tesoro-trilogy with DEFENSA – Tesoro II, this time with the dancers Jerry Pedersen, Siri Persson and Frida Moberg. Defensa is a direct sequel to Tesoro, 2007, and has a general theme of defence, both mental and physical. Defending oneself, our loved ones, one's life and one's identity; when does this help and when does it become an obstacle? On stage are three dancers, three dolls in natural sizes, three filmed alter egos and three cubes. The cubes can form three life spaces that both limit and give freedom. In these we find the dancer in an encounter between herself, her memories, her resistance, her innate darkness and blinding light.

Choreography and idea: Eva Ingemarsson

Dancers: Siri Persson, Frida Moberg, Jerry Pedersen

Music: Magnus Bergström, Niklas Rydén, Daniel Rozenhall, Asa Chang

Video: Niklas Rydén

Set design: Johan Rödström, Mania Teimouri

Costumes/dolls: Karin Jatta

Text rehearsal: Victoria Brattström

Lighting: Johan Rödström

Technician: Pär Bengtsson, Christian Figved

Costume assistance: Helena Hårder

Producers: Katarina Sigge, Cecilia Suhaid Gustafsson

Here follow some brief elucidations of the sequences shown on the website.

First sequence: Trust

In the beginning, when you meet someone… one is defending oneself, maybe… Defending oneself to not to get hurt… by not opening up too much too quickly… because it's about trust… One doesn't want to be naive… or be used, for example… maybe one is defending oneself through keeping some distance… and then gradually opening up more… People have to deserve trust as well… The actions someone does shows that, this is a person that I could confide in without that person… is exploiting that information… or telling it to someone else… And that you feel like that person is taking you seriously, and doesn't laugh at you… and that it's mutual as well…

Second sequence: Arranging Toys

It's like… something one can lean on, I suppose… That one creates… its like pebbles. You've got everything… arranging the pebbles… As when you were little and were sorting out your toys. In the same way one is organizing one's life, I suppose… And then you feel like, well this is really organized and controlled, and good. And then you feel better than you would otherwise. I believe I was really organized when I was little. Everything had to be in its place and all… I had a huge dollhouse, a Barbie house, with at least 20 Barbie dolls, with clothes… And then I placed the dolls in a specific place in the Barbie house, and they were wearing specific clothes, and the shoes were placed in pairs along the walls, and all the clothes were in piles like this… So it was extremely important to get it right. I got furious if someone changed anything.

Third sequence: Grief

I knew that she… that my grandmother would… die… then, that day. But I also understood that I… I had to do what I was going to do. So I stood there, and then, it was like a good protection that my body created… or the brain and the body together decided, I understand this and it has to be all right for now. So what we are going to do is to assume overall preparedness. So that the whole… the whole mind and all sensation and all skin… the whole body is just going to float around in exactly what is happening… so that you can do what you have to do. So, total focus on all visual impressions and all sensation and what everybody was saying. And it wasn't as though I reflected in the past or future; no it was as though my body could just react in that exact moment. And I could feel great, because nothing else existed than that. And then, and then it was over and I could come home… and then my body could… everything that was lying there in the background could trickle up, and it was allowed to, as well.