Performance Reviews of Clepsydra-Gezeiten
Amber Willett, choreographer and dancer in Clepsydra-Gezeiten
Moved by Waves is a contemporary ballet suite, created by Amber Willett during her residency with Inztanz International Center for Dance, in response to Virginia Woolf’s 1931 novella. The pieces are no illustrations or depictions of the story of Woolf’s book, but unique artistic responses to the tonal charge and imagistic force that another work prompts: The dancers are as detailed in the movement they’re creating as Woolf is in her depictions of the characters’ emotions.
Clepsydra-Gezeiten (Waterclock & Tides), premiered at the Landestheater and Stadtmuseum in Tuebingen, Germany in July 2012. The dances were performed by 4 dancers, while 3 actors performed skits of scenes from the book that connected with Willett's choreography. The following are selections from the press.
Swabisches Tagblatt
Literary-inspired dance between art objects, flanked by some drama and reading: The ensemble of the International Centre for Dance (InzTanz) shows next week on three evenings the choreography "clepsydra" the American dancer and choreographer Amber Willett at the City Museum.
Ruetlinger General-Anzeiger
TUBINGEN. Four chairs, four dancers and an idea: with their piece "clepsydra" - Greek for tides - has staged an impressive dialogue between the arts in Tübingen City Museum on Thursday evening, the choreographer Amber Willett.
She has been guided by the poetic novella "The Waves" by Virginia Woolf. In this book, the development from childhood to adulthood is shown in experimental as well as poetic images. A lot of it takes place in the University from a setting that fits well with Tubingen, especially since a large part of the actors studied.A girl comes late to class, a little shy and clueless, while the other well on the questions of are teacher prepared. Three dancers sitting on the chairs, straight and stretch their arms in the air, while the fourth helpless herumstolpert between. The same scene represent Idil Ünver and Cheng Lay two floors up acting, whereas Leonid Koller mimes the enthusiastic students in the intermediate level, who wants his lover writing a letter. "What I am, I ask," he exclaims with sparkling eyes at the audience. At the end he gives his project after several failed attempts. Finally, tomorrow is indeed another day.
Swabisches Tagblatt (Review 2)
Garnished with beautiful Cradle, the industrial design of the exhibition is at the appropriate stage of the performance - and vice versa: The museum begins to breathe.
