Merlin

The 60 minutes dance quartet ‘Merlin’ is a present-day dance tale playing with the irruption of instinct and myth through the surface of our social composure.

In a culture that is increasingly dominated by symbols, images and ready-made concepts, there appears to be a growing rift between the visible expression of our existence and nature, around and within us. Standing with one foot on each side of this rift, MERLIN asks the question: can we reconcile our longing for meaning with the brutal turmoil of organic life?

Digging into several sources, in particular Jean Markale’s study of the character Merlin, the piece proposes a new perspective on one of Europe’s most prominent mythical figures. Many times represented on screen and throughout literature, the very nature of Merlin invites us to a new representation that only body textures can produce: an intermediate, dialectic space that stretches between mythical essence and temporal narrative - the place where substance meets shape.

« There is something wonderfully raw and wild, evocative of older, more pagan traditions, in the freedom of these individuals » | seeingdance.com, work-in-progress performance at Dublin Dance Festival

Concept & choreography: Alexandre Iseli & Jazmin Chiodi

Dance: Jazmin Chiodi, Alexandre Iseli, Francisco Lopez, Clara Protar, Sarah Ryan

Music: Oscar Mascareñas

Costumes: Pierre Canitrot

Lighting design: Kevin Smith

Stage management: Roxzan Bowes

Technique: Paul Lenihan

Line producer: Michelle Cahill

Merlin was funded by the Arts Council under the Project Awards scheme, and co-produced by Tipperary Dance Platform. Commissioned by Dance East. Creation and production residences: Tipperary Excel Arts Centre, EIMA Creation Centre, Compagnie Marie Lenfant, Project Arts Centre, Tig Roy. Jazmin Chiodi and Alexandre Iseli are resident artists at Tipperary Dance Platform, with the support of Tipperary County Council, Tipperary Excel Arts Centre and the Arts Council under the Dance Artist in Residency Award.

Many thanks to all our funders, supports, collaborators, dancers and everyone who supported our research on this project since its inception, in particular Hélène Cathala, Le Grand Studio. Thanks to Lorenzo Dallai and Oran Leong for their artistic contribution to MERLIN.

Jazmin Chiodi

MA Festive Arts

Artistic director

Choreographer

Festival curator

Alexandre Iseli

MSc Biology