Fase

‘Fase’ was a historic performance: it resulted in the birth of Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s dance company Rosas. Although many of De Keersmaeker’s choreographic works were filmed at a fairly early stage, many years passed before ‘Fase’ was finally recorded on film by director Thierry De Mey. The dance ‘Fase, four moments to the Music of Steve Reich’, is by no means a simple piece on which to give a film-maker’s imagination free rein. ‘Fase’ is a quite compelling choreography, which guides the spectator’s gaze firmly, only to have him suddenly discover that in its order lies deep emotion. This is done very subtly, for example when the light shifts, or the synchronisation is disrupted, or the dancers appear to have moved unnoticed. ‘Fase’, the film, in no way claims to compete with the dance, but explores it rigorously and precisely. In this way the film reinforces what was already present in De Keersmaeker’s choreography.