Gravity fatigue

Gravity fatigue is combining the visual creativity of Hussein Chalayan’s designs and concepts with contemporary dance to bring to life a transformational and imaginary world.

Hussein Chalayan is an internationally renowned fashion designer and visual artist whose work is known for innovative design, bold use of technology and elegant minimalism. Chalayan’s first theatrical work Gravity Fatigue, received its world premiere at Sadler’s Wells in October 2015. Gravity Fatigue combined the visual creativity of his artistic concepts with contemporary dance, realized in partnership with Damien Jalet , Yeast Culture’s Nick Hillel, sound illustrators Mode-F and lighting designer Natasha Chivers, the production takes its inspiration from themes of identity and displacement, and the disconnection experienced in public spaces at moments of transition.

Gravity Fatigue performed at Sadler’s well, London, in October 2015

Press

Gravity Fatigue is a beautiful and groundbreaking piece. Chalayan and choreographer Damien Jalet create a visual unit out of the ensemble of dancers, combining the detail of the choreography with lighting, fabrics, and sound to create complex textures. It is like a theatrical exploration of clothing.

The Upcoming

There are some fantastic coup de théâtre moments: the dress that moves by itself, twisting into new shapes as if possessed, like an haute couture version of Alien; or the thick wool overcoats that turn into fabulously glittery dresses. It’s inspired and enjoyable and there’s so much going on, whether mild mocking of the fashion industry or a detour into cultural politics when two niqab-clad dancers skid across a ball pool.

Evening Standard

Jalet’s work is bold, sharp and painfully precise, with timing that’s impeccable. The dancers move with such accuracy and focus they seem tribal in their energy, but also strangely mechanical, moving the body in ways that seems humanly impossible.

A Younger Theater

For the dance, Chalayan worked with choreographer Damien Jalet, whose trademark whirling pops up in several places, most strikingly for a stunning sequence in which bulky black overcoats are transformed into sequinned dresses while their wearers spin languidly, creating moving circular tracks of light like disco-styled whirling dervishes. The gravity fascination proclaimed by the title comes up in breakdance-like floorwork, in one instance on a rotating disc of light that makes it look like the dancers are b-boying on an LP, in another with the help of a disguised trampoline in the floor that enables them to throw themselves down on their backs and bounce up again.

The Art Desk

Video

Credits

• Artistic Director and Designer : Hussein Chalayan
• Choreographer: Damien Jalet
• Choreographed in collaboration with dancers : Aimilios Arapoglou, Amy Bell, Navala ‘Niku’ Chaudhari, Aliashka Hilsum, Edouard Hue, Lisa Kasman, Stephanie McMann, Erik Nevin, Inpang Ooi, Mickael ‘Marso’ Riviere, Louise Tanoto, Majon van der Schot and Jack Webb
• Video Designer and Projection Mapping : Nick Hillel / Yeast Culture
• Sound Illustrators : MODE-F, For Sadler’s Wells
• Chief Executive and Artistic Director: Alistair Spalding CBE
• Executive Producer : Suzanne Walker
• Producer : Ghislaine Granger
• Artistic Programmer and Artist Development : Eva Martinez

Technical team

• Production Manager :Adam Carrée
• Company Manager : Marius Arnold-Clarke
• Deputy Stage Manager : Maddie Cupples
• Assistant Stage Manager : Laura Stevens
• Head of Wardrobe : Roxanne Armstrong
• Wardrobe Assistants : Sharna David and Alice Smart
• Hair and Make-up : Bunnice Allen
• Lighting Designer : Natasha Chivers
• Assistant Director : Melih Yoru
• Photography : Hugo Glendinning, Alistair Muir 

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Presentation  in « The guardian »