“Hammer” is a 90 minute dance piece in two acts by Alexander Ekman
It premiered October 29 2022 with the Gothenburg Opera Dance Company.
It was brought back for the company’s 2024 season.
In Hammer, a harmonious community shares an altruistic lifestyle inspired by the hippie era. They run, play, sing and enjoy life together. But slowly, the community progresses towards the modern age with its ubiquitous surveillance.
The group’s behaviour becomes increasingly egotistical and individualistic. When we return for the second act, we find ourselves in a different place. Now we meet a group of self-conscious people in lonely bubbles. Eventually, unable to cope with all the false pretences, they are forced to relinquish their image-conscious facades and return to an altruistic existence.
From the Gothenburg Opera website.
CHOREOGRAPHY, SET DESIGN, DIRECTION: Alexander Ekman
MUSIC: Mikael Karlsson
LIGHTING DESIGN: Joakim Brink
COSTUME DESIGN: Henrik Vibskov
SOUND DESIGN: Joachim Bohäll
DRAMATURGY: Carina Nildalen
ASSISTANT TO ALEXANDER EKMAN: Victor G. Jeffreys II
The music score features a string chamber orchestra consisting of members from the Gothenburg Opera Orchestra, conducted byLars Kvensler, and vocals by soprano Amelia Watkins (intermission installation).
WORLD PREMIERE CAST
Gothenburg Opera Dance Company, Oct 29 – Dec 15 2022
“Brillant” (Tanz)
“Sprudelnde Freude und lebensbejahende Energie.” (Tanz)
“A world-class performance” Aftonbladet
“Genius! Autumn’s absolute must-see!” Borås Tidning
“World-class dancers” Alba
“A pointed examination of our current self-obsession” Expressen
“Leaves no-one unmoved” Göteborgs-Posten
“A moving, almost sacred sequence to encounter the dancers so up-close and vulnerable.” Svenska Dagbladet
“The dancers crawl out into the audience who are entranced by these well-trained, sweaty hipster-hippies who ask to be photographed.” Dagens Nyheter
“Tears of joy run down the cheeks of an older lady beside me. She is happy. We are at one with the dancers.” Borås Tidning
I haven’t had time to mix this music for an album, but it’s coming. /Mika
