A jury of 29 European critics brought together by Tanz, Germany’s leading dance magazine, proclaimed les Ballets C de la B’s Out of Context – for Pina production of the year 2010.

In Out of Context - for Pina, director Alain Platel uses a movement vocabulary that emerges from the unconscious, the uncontrolled: spasms, teeth chattering, grimacing, balance impairment and the whole repertoire of silly walks. Working with the eight virtuoso dancers who have been with him for quite some time now, Patel attempts to expose the tension between the wide range of unrestrained movements and the traditional choreographic elements, between unconscious and subconscious.

Platel says, “Presumably, the dance has always had this function: to be a physical translation of exaggerated emotions. In some cases, such as trance dance, the connection to the body in a state of hysteria is very direct. In this context, it is interesting to note that the root of the word choreography is derived from a medical term that refers to a disorder of the nervous system. Your symptoms are sudden, rapid, uncontrolled body movements and hysteria. We find that this behavior, as well as other forms of strange, extreme or provocative behavior, is an essential part of humanity ”

Photo: Chris Van der Burght

Tanz praised Out of Context for its use of humor and playfulness on stage. The jury also recognized the work’s call to make dance a popular art form, in the name of Pina Bausch, to whom the performance is dedicated.

This is the second time that the German magazine has awarded the work of Alain Platel. In 2007, les ballets C de la B, the company he founded in 1984, was proclaimed company of the year, together with Rosas, another Belgian dance company.

In the other categories, Tanz selected Martin Schläpfer as choreographer of the year, Canadian ballerina Carol Prieur as female dancer of the year, Friedemann Vogel as male dancer of the year and Ivorian Gintersdorfer/Klassen as company of the year.