Online programme book Out of the stillness

"The missing door premiered in 2013, when I was a silly teenager in high school, very enthralled with the world of dance.  Movement and my potential future in this field were my sole purposes. I watched the Youtube trailer of this piece religiously; my small prayer for the life I hoped for and anticipated. Thirteen years later, I am here on stage with NDT, tasked with recreating the magic that is this piece. Through all my years in performance, Gabriella and the work of Peeping Tom have been constant sources of inspiration in my creative ventures. Their strength lies in bringing scenarios to the stage that keep the audience constantly questioning what is unfolding before them. Is it surreal or ordinary? Is it hilarious or heartbreaking? That is for you, the viewer, to decide.

I am thrilled to bring back this seminal piece of dance to the NDT audience as well as to realize this wild work with my phenomenal colleagues, especially my partner, Rui. I hope that you enjoy this performance of The missing door - it has been a real pleasure to work on bringing it to life for you over these past weeks."

"Just behind the eyes, right where the outside and the inside meet, lies a crossroad. One path takes us slightly in and up, coasting not too far from its origin, and settles gently between the ears. The other, veering off to the left, meanders slightly, then dives into the recesses, becoming jagged and irregular. Here, in the dark, before the friction of thoughtfulness can interfere, is where I imagine the swamp.

This swamp, full of thick and slippery oil, starts to pull us in slowly, until we’re completely submerged.

Suddenly, trap doors open at the bottom of the swamp and we free fall further down the passage. Familiar images flash past, distorting more and more with every level.

We drop into a buoyant bubble, jolted by the sudden halt of momentum and feeling cradled by its pressure. On this level, space swells and shrinks, shapes tilt and duplicate, and time dilates at will. Our eyes adjust to see a world built for things bigger than us, and we realize we're kids once again.

Down here, I start to remember being little and feeling invincible, when the world around me was crafted of reality and make-believe. I remember when quicksand and the dark were my greatest fears, and how heroes would save the day. I remember believing in good and evil, and wishing to jump higher and land softly. I remember play, and precious little things, and what it felt like to fall forever."