An appointment to immerse oneself in the creative flair of Edward Clug, one of the most sought-after choreographers on the international scene, together with the company he has directed for more than 20 years, the Ballet of the Slovenian National Theater in Maribor. Under the title Cluster the Slovenian company presents a selection of four works, chosen from among the most evocative created by Clug from 2015 and to 2022 for the prestigious Nederlands Dans Theater 1 and 2.

The composite evening opens with Proof, a work to the music of Radiohead that hypnotically and introspectively explores the concepts of fragility and resilience in relation to human life. This is followed by three choreographies shaped to the music of Slovenian composer Milko Lazar in which Clug repeatedly dissects the internal and external bonds in our existences. Quartet of Bodies, Mutual Comfort is a refined and intimate study of entanglements in human relationships. Here the leading role is taken alternately by the performers, thus masking the contradictions of human behavior between unexpected and ironic moments. Fluid and playful journey through intricate relationships and fleeting encounters, Handman reflects in its choreographic warp, rich in spatial geometry, both the resonances of the creative process and the complicity of the dancers. Finally, Cluster, the title piece for the entire evening, where through an extremely precise physical score, movement as a collective force is explored.

Proof

An evocative work to the music of Radiohead, Proof explores themes of human fragility and resilience. Clug’s distinctive movement vocabulary translates raw emotion into extraordinarily complex choreography, inviting the audience into a hypnotic world of rhythm and introspection.  

Radiohead transform contemporary emotions-trauma, isolation, loss of connection to self or society-into beauty through their artistic process. That beauty is also experienced through the dancers’ efforts, images and metaphors, including the large airship suspended motionless above the stage. Initially conceived as an abstract stage element, this bubble also carries meaning: it represents an illusion of safety, but within it we become even more vulnerable and sensitive.

Edward Clug

Mutual Comfort

A refined and intimate study of human connections, Mutual Comfort examines the nuances of physical and emotional interaction. With minimalist elegance, Clug sculpts movement into a deeply expressive and personal dance language. Movements often exhibit a kind of almost rhythmic nervousness, with bodies darting and jerking in an intensity perfectly synchronized with rhythm.  Clug deftly illuminates the inherent contradictions of the human spirit, revealing moments of unexpected beauty and spontaneous irony along the creative journey. 

Two women and two men weave through complex compositions, taking turns in leading roles. The quartet is intricate, not only choreographically, but also emotionally and visually […]. The music is extremely minimalist: two synthesizers and two cellos. The quartet’s performance must be so disciplined that even the slightest deviation interrupts the dancers and the dynamics of the composition.

Edward Clug

Handman 

Handman is a playful but intricate choreographic journey through relationships and fleeting encounters.

Handman takes you on a fluid journey where brief encounters take place between man and woman, women and women, woman and man, men and men, and man and Handman. The title refers to a particular moment in the piece that might go unnoticed. As we move on, the choreographic sequences unravel before us, culminating in dance situations strongly inspired by Milko Lazar’s musical composition and the genuine experience we shared with the dancers during the creation of this piece.

Edward Clug

Cluster

The title piece of the show, Cluster, is an exploration of movement as a collective force, an intricate web of interconnection and contrast. With its evocative musical landscape and hypnotic flow of choreography, Cluster reflects on the tension between individuality and shared human experience.  

The title Cluster – meaning group, bundle – comes from the final image of the performance, where a group of dancers move in unison, all immersed in a daily routine. However, these group members, who at times, as critics have pointed out, must synchronize their movements with almost inhuman, computer-like precision, are also trying to find their own individual contributions, and thus their own personal identity and character. Cluster is at times almost inexorably precise, but within this precision, the dancers also seek their own means of expression.

Edward Clug