DANSK DANSETEATER

»A street dog is, for me, the alter ego of humans. It is a mongrel, a dog without any specific breed. I use it as a metaphor to talk about the outsider, the stranger, the peculiar, the different, and the eccentric amidst the normal« (Marina Mascarell)

The point of departure for the piece KØTER is the Jante law. An originally fictitious code of behavior from a novel which is meant to be a part of Scandinavian identity. The rules of this code induce behavior that the choreographer and new head of the Danish Dance Theater, Marina Mascarell, is familiar with from her own Spanish culture.

The presented community of mongrels, street dogs, epitomizes a group of petty individuals, who are driven by envy and fear of anything unfamiliar or any new arrival. Small-mindedness and reservation are the order of the day as is herd mentality. The collective does not recognize uniqueness, but instead prefers mediocrity. All make sure that no one stands out, everyone must conform and stay put where they are and not bother anyone else. Essential to their behavior is their repressing anything out of the norm.

KØTER had its premiere at the Gothenburg Opera in October 2015 and was commissioned for one of the worldwide leading dance companies, The Gothenburg Opera Dance Company. Audiences and critics were enthusiastic, and the performance was nominated by the Barcelona Critics’ Awards 2016 for best international performance and best choreography, and it won the prize for best scenery. For this new version the Spanish composer and cellist, Yamila Rios, composed new music and Nina Botkay designed new costumes. Marina Mascarell revised her choreography for the dancers of the Danish Dance Theater and reset the work in a contemporary framework.

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