Geographers of Solitude
The Piece
The Arctic Tern, with its record-breaking migratory pattern, is known to rest on the islands of Jersey and Malta along its annual pilgrammage. Its unique perspective serves as the perfect inspiration for this collaborative production proudly presented by Ballet d’Jèrri and ŻfinMalta.
Choreographer Paolo Mangiola has used the concept of the Tern’s journey to explore the cultures of islands, their connection to the wider world, and the impact of tight-knit communities on the individuals within them.
Following the Tern’s path, we begin as geographers traveling from north to south, connecting with the world through human histories, triumphs, and failures. In Antarctica, we commence the return journey northward as birds, observing the impact of humanity on the lands we visit, as we pursue a life of eternal summer.
This collaborative production premiered at Teatru Manoel in Malta on 24th May 2024, and Ballet d’Jèrri is thrilled to welcome our Malta-based colleagues to the Jersey Arts Centre to perform it with us for our audiences here.
“There is something about the age we are living in that compels us to venture like the geographers of old, and navigate the realities we have created, to gain new knowledge about what we have become as a species. There is an urge to question our borders, our identities, and our sense of belonging, and solitude becomes the space in which such questions are born. Solitude is our ultimate reality, and it can also be a place of solace, in which we withdraw from everything and everyone. For this work, I wanted to undertake this exploration of the human condition through non-human eyes, in the flight of the Arctic Tern, from the north to south poles and back, touching down in five places – the arctic circle, the islands of Jersey and Malta, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Antarctica. In each of these places we can learn something new and something old about ourselves. The dances I have created, with the dancers of ŻfinMalta and Ballet d’Jèrri, weave the rigor of scientific survey with old songs and incantations; they carry us through the icy tests of polar exploration and the fiery trials of witchcraft; and they immerse us in the waves of perilous sea crossings and the greedy bowels of cobalt mining. Such a complex work draws upon the joint efforts of an international creative team. The material on stage is the result of hours of work in the
studio, first and foremost with the dancers, who are the co-creators of this work. Without them, it could not have happened. The dance merges with the soundscapes of Dag Rosenqvist, the modular set of Gary Pace, and the light design of Dali Aguerbi. The visuals have been curated by Matthew Attard, with costumes created by Alessandro Vigilante, Linda Rowell and Holly Knowles, dramaturgy by Victor Jacono, and Alexis Oliveira as ballet master. Together with my artistic collaborators and all at ŻfinMalta I invite you to join our exploratory flight as Geographers of Solitude.”
Choreography and Direction Paolo Mangiola
Dramaturgy Victor Jacono
Costume Design Alessandro Vigilante
Set Design and Build Paolo Mangiola
Emerson D’Abbott Doyle & David Mallet
Original Score Dag Rosenqvist
Light Design Chris Wink after Dali Aguerbi
Ballet Master Alexis Oliveira
Costumier Linda Rowel
Stage Manager Estelle Le Brun
Technician Jack Tadier
Technical Assistants Nick Ebejer & Luca Parolin
The Text
90° N
From Robert Peary, The Great White Journey
In clearest weather the solitary traveler upon this white Sahara sees but three things outside of and beyond himself—the unbroken, white expanse of the snow, the unbroken blue expanse of the sky, and the sun. In cloudy weather all three of these may disappear. My feet and snow-shoes are sharp and clear as silhouettes. Yet as far as my eyes gave me evidence to the contrary, I’m walking upon nothing. The space between my snow-shoes is as light as the zenith. The opaque light which filled the sphere of vision might come from below as well as above.
49° 11' N 2° 6' W
The Spell
Under sun, wind and soil
Your love roots down
Emerge through over eroded lands,
Cling to me and you will heal
Two hands that touch will always cure
But holding the earth seems to have less care
An echoing silence of your denial
Submerged, too hot, so melt away
Sinking footsteps trudge along
Pass your desire over to me
An algorithm for love prevails
But pre programmed minds float above our own
An embrace so warm it turns to ash
To scatter in the earth and rise afresh
Cette nuit, il pleuvait, la marée était haute
Poète : Victor Hugo (1802-1885)
Recueil : Les châtiments (1853)
Cette nuit, il pleuvait, la marée était haute, Un brouillard lourd et gris couvrait toute la côte, Les brisants aboyaient comme des chiens, le flot Aux pleurs du ciel profond joignait son noir sanglot, L'infini secouait et mêlait dans son urne Les sombres tournoiements de l'abîme nocturne; Les bouches de la nuit semblaient rugir dans l'air. J'entendais le canon d'alarme sur la mer. Des marins en détresse appelaient à leur aide. Dans l'ombre où la rafale aux rafales succède, Sans pilote, sans mât, sans ancre, sans abri, Quelque vaisseau perdu jetait son dernier cri. Je sortis. Une vieille, en passant effarée, Me dit : « Il a péri ; c'est un chasse-marée. » Je courus à la grève et ne vis qu'un linceul De brouillard et de nuit, et l'horreur, et moi seul; Et la vague, dressant sa tête sur l'abîme, Comme pour éloigner un témoin de son crime, Furieuse, se mit à hurler après moi. Qu'es-tu donc, Dieu jaloux, Dieu d'épreuve et d'effroi, Dieu des écroulements, des gouffres, des orages, Que tu n'es pas content de tant de grands naufrages, Qu'après tant de puissants et de forts engloutis, Il te reste du temps encor pour les petits, Que sur les moindres fronts ton bras laisse sa marque, Et qu'après cette France, il te faut cette barque!
Jersey, le 5 avril 1853.
35° 53' N 14° 30' E
Maltese Ghana
Kemm nixtieqni nsir summiena
Ħa nistrieħ fuq il-pjanuri
F’l-għodu jien nisbaħ intaqtaq
Inġennen lil kaċċaturi.
Għalxejn ngħid ma rridx inħobbok,
Nara ‘l wiċċek nerġa’ ndur!
Bilfors xi seħer għamiltli,
Inkell’għamiltli xi magħmul!
Jien għalik naqbeż il-baħar
Kieku naf li ma nsalvax
Basta nara l’ int issalva,
Lili, le ma jimpurtax.
How I wish I turned into a quail
To come rest on the plains
In the morning I'd rise cackling
To drive the hunters mad
It's useless to say that I won't love you
I see your face and turn around
You must have cast an enchantment
Or you must have cast a spell
For you I'll jump into the sea
Even knowing that I'd drown
I would rather you were saved
That I'm saved is not important
He rohe tenei - This is a Border
The CHOREOGRAPHER
Artistic Director of ŻfinMalta Paolo Mangiola is a choreographer, dance educator and performer working within ballet and contemporary dance practices. Operating in the interstices between codified dance and ordinary movement, Paolo is interested in exploring this relationship in the context of our interconnected society, drawing inspiration from various artistic sources, the web, and emerging movements.
As a performer Paolo has collaborated with, and danced for, artists and choreographers including Wayne McGregor, Deborah Hay, Martin Creed, and Mauro Bigonzetti. Paolo has created works for the Royal Ballet, Tanztheater Nürnberg, Aterballetto, Szczecin Opera Ballet and Balletto di Roma. He attained a Masters in Choreography at The Place, London, and designed the programme for the Contemporary Dance Department, Scuola del Balletto di Roma. Paolo was appointed resident choreographer at Balletto di Roma in 2015, where he remained for three seasons. Since 2017 he has been Artistic Director of ŻfinMalta, Malta’s national dance company.
The Companies
Żfin Malta dance ensemble (ŻMDE)is the repertory national company of Malta that aims to thrive in the sharing and employment of a wide range of repertoire - ranging from new works created in Malta by both local and international choreographers (upcoming and established) to the re-staging of renowned works from all over the world, thus creating a company of versatility, whilst maintaining a clear identity with its Euro-Mediterranean roots. Underpinning this vision is the desire to inspire, excite and most importantly, include audiences in the ideas and constant developments evident in the nature of the contemporary arts internationally today.
ŻfinMalta National Dance Company is part of the National Agency for the Performing Arts (NAPA), a public agency providing a joint legal, administrative, and organisational framework for KorMalta, Teatru Malta and ŻfinMalta.
Artistic DirectoR
Paolo Mangiola
Producer
Nicole Bearman
Technical Manager
Mohamed Ali ‘Dali’ Aguerbi
Communications, Marketing & Administration Officer
Emma Walker
Technical Assistants
Nick Ebejer & Luca Parolin
Executive, Education & Outreach
Martina Zammit
NAPA TEAM
CEO
Dominic Galea
Deputy Director of Administration
Christabel Borg Preca
Development Executive
Giuliana Barbaro Sant
Marketing Executive
Suzanna Nikolic
Sylvia Attard, Claude Busuttil & Marlon Apap
Administration
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Alison White (Chair), Kate De Cesare, Andrea Cassar, Mary Ann Cauchi, Joanne Butterworth, Felix Busuttil, Adrian Mamo
Dancers
Marti Blanco Romeu, Pearl Calleja, Lidia Caricasole, Noemi Coin Andreotti, Lotte La Haye, Jérémie Lafon, Keith Micallef, Matteo Real, Amber Van Veen, Simon Riccardi-Zani, Benjamin Spiteri
The dancers of ŻfinMalta have kindly been hosted in Jersey by Sarum Hotel
@zfinmalta www.zfinmalta.org
Ballet d’Jèrri launched in January of 2023, a company of professional dancers committed to bringing a high level of dance performances to Jersey islanders from all walks of life. The company is the first of its kind to be based in the Channel Islands, and our aim is to create great art that represents and belongs to our island.
Artistic DirectoR
Carolyn Rose Ramsay
Company Manager
Estelle Le Brun
Rehearsal Director
Alicia Beck
Director of children and youth programmes
Helen Oliver
Photographer
Rebecca Le Brun
Community Development
Alexandra Lewy
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Robert Christie (Chair), Rebecca Sprent, Emilia Lacy, Zachary Lewy