Review LARBI - Theaterkrant

March 29, 2026
by: Karima Aissaoui

The work of Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui goes beyond the boundaries of choreography. The Flemish-Moroccan artist uses movement as a language to merge cultures and dimensions into universal stories. In Larbi by Introdans, three distinct works show that a true master cannot be confined to a single box.

In Fall, the dancers lift one another high into the air before tumbling down again in fluid motion. At times they move as parts of an organic whole, then again completely separate from one another. Alone, in duos, or in a group, they seem to embody different creatures and natural phenomena: a flock of birds, a surging river, leaves falling, branches reaching toward the sky. Sometimes in unison, then again one after the other.

The smooth movements of limbs, torsos and arms leave no room for abrupt interruptions, and choreographies that initially seem chaotic and unrelated ultimately merge seamlessly into a harmonious flow. In the background, billowing white cloths breathe life into the whole. The calm piano compositions of Arvo Pärt gently propel the elements of this serene 2015 ballet forward.

Residence has its world premiere and explores, in an inventive and visual way, the meaning of physical disability. In this duet, two dancers, one in a wheelchair (Marc Brew) and the other (Nelson Parrish Earl) not, challenge each other to tell a moving story in relation to one another. A tender encounter between two people who invite each other into their personal worlds.

They act as each other’s legs or wings as they navigate moments of harmony, ecstasy and resistance. The narrative is woven together through elements of contemporary dance, urban influences, slapstick scenes and mime. Meanwhile, the set design by Pepijn van Looy is creatively transformed from an abandoned street into a lively home. Combined with the animated lighting design of Pascal Schutijser, the piece comes together as a bold multimedia experiment.

In Memoriam is a personal work by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui from 2004. Through a striking ballet, he guides the audience through the different stages and waves of farewell and grief. In collaboration with a powerful performance by the Corsican vocal group A Filetta, solo, duet and group sections alternate.

Dressed like dervishes in contrasting colours, around fifteen dancers whirl past each other in a ritualistic flow. A lost loved one is brought back to life and, in an impressive duet, takes hold of the world of the one left behind, at times with fierce aggression, then with gentle tenderness. The emotionally charged vocal performances of A Filetta turn these intense shifts into something both ceremonial and deeply grounded.

The final section brings together an ever-growing group of dancers who, entirely sur les pointes, perform a captivating interplay of arms that contrasts sharply with classical ballet vocabulary, like a shared ritual centred on loving, holding on, and letting go.

Read the full review in Theaterkrant.nl [Dutch]