“Sol Invictus,” “Invincible Sun” or “Unconquered Sun” was the official Sun God of the late Roman Empire about AD 274. This pagan religion was almost entirely quashed by AD 387, until Compagnie Hervé Koubi, brought it back to shimmering life this week at The Wallis.
Once again, The Wallis has brought a program of infinite intrigue and indisputable quality to their stage and to their audience. Playing to a full house this was a not to be missed celebration of movement.
“So I choose, it will be a rite, a rite that we will invent at each performance to celebrate that we are alive.” Hervé Koubi.
Compagnie Hervé Koubi in “Sol Invictus” – Photo by Melanie Lhote.
Hervé Koubi and assistant Fayçal Hamlat have collaborated since 2017. Together they created a space for dancers to thrive and develop into a company like no other. Unlike conventional students their training has mainly taken place on the streets, where anything and everything is possible. With performers from many cultures, perhaps not speaking the same language, the universe of movement, acrobatics, hip-hop, capoeira and urban dance have melded them into one wildly entertaining cohesive entity.
Compagnie Hervé Koubi in “Sol Invictus – Photo by Mirabel White.
Onstage lighting takes us into a strange netherworld where figures linger on the perimeters. Slowly the stage fills with bodies moving freeform, striding about the space and gaining momentum until catapulting headfirst into flips, head-spins and whirling dervish gyrations. The music perfectly underscores the energy created by the bodies while the bodies seem to dictate the music making this a seamless fusion. The gorgeous lighting throughout delineates the space bringing us into a nebulous landscape that might be an apocalypse or maybe the road to heaven. These visions support the movement and elevates’ it to a plane beyond acrobatic tricks. The constantly flowing movement feels improvised and spontaneous yet must be meticulously staged to keep everyone out of harm’s way.
Compagnie Hervé Koubi in “Sol Invictus” – Photo by Melanie Lhote.
Among the many highlights must be the use of the golden parachute cloth that can be a demarcation of the horizon line or garner our full focus as it billows across the stage. Struggling under, over, floating above or becoming wrapped in its’ golden light, the dancers rise and fall with the cloth creating a mythical world of God-like creatures. The staging, though a constant swirl, does not distract from our focus as we are pulled into their world. Whether a pagan ritual, a slow- motion firelit prayer, or wildly mutating chaos we are riveted.
Compagnie Hervé Koubi in “Sol Invictus – Photo by Nathalie Sternalski.
Under Koubis’ extraordinary direction his work is allowed to develop organically utilizing the abilities and ideas of his cast while still maintaining a firm hand on the final product. In doing this he has found the perfect medium for these diverse athletes. With thought-provoking lighting design, impeccable music choices and the exhilarating physicality of these performers we have reason “to celebrate that we are alive.”
A small caveat for me was the show itself felt slightly too long and the final several minutes began to show repetition. Both issues would be easily adjusted with slight edits and a clear punch to set up the ending moment.
Compagnie Hervé Koubi in “Sol Invictus – Photo by Nathalie Sternalski.
Still by the end of the 75minute performance the audience was on their feet giving this sterling cast a well-deserved standing ovation.
Thank you again to the Wallis for bringing a show of this quality to Los Angeles.
The Dancers: Ilnur Bashirov, Francesca Bazzucchi, Badr Benr Guibi, Joy Isabella Brown, Denis Chernykh, Samuel da Silveira Lima, Youssef El Kanfoudi, Mauricio Farias da Silva, Abdelghani Ferradji, Elder Matheus Freitas Fernandes Oliveira, Hsuan-Hung Hsu, Pavel Krupa, Ismail Oubbajaddi, Ediomar Pinherio de Queiroz, Allan Sobral dos Santos, Anderson Vitor Santos, Karn Steiner, and El Houssaini Zahid
Compagnie Hervé Koubi in Sol Invictus
Choreographer: Hervé Koubi
Assistant Choreographer: Fayçal Hamlat
Music: Mikael Karlsson, Maxime Bodson, Steve Reich, Ludwig van Beethoven
Arrangements: Guillaume Gabriel
Lighting: Lionel Buzonie
Costumes: Guillaume Gabriel
Artistic Advisor: Bérengère Alfort
External Advisors: Odile Cougoule, Mohamed Zerouali
For more information about Compagnie Hervé Koubi, please visit their website.
To learn more about The Wallis, please visit their website.
Written by Tam Warner for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: Compagnie Hervé Koubi in “Sol Invictus” – Photo by Melanie Lhote.
I could have watched it for another 75 minutes. I have not been transported in a dance performance, like I was with this performance, in a very long time.
I think you wrote beautifully about the piece. How about that gold fabric. And when you sat in the mezzanine, you really appreciated the mirrored floor.