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La Petite Mort : Motifs Of Sexuality And Death

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As a piece of choreography, “La Petite Mort” expresses the motifs of sexuality and death through the contrasts between levels of energy, confidence, and elevation. Translating directly from French to “little death”, the phrase “petite mort” also serves as a French idiom representing sexual climax. The comparison of the supposed pleasure of a sexual act, and act associated with creation, with death evokes strong emotions for both dancers and audience members alike. The piece runs for approximately seventeen minutes and consists of twelve dancers, six males and six females, and a wide array of symbolic props, including swords (foils), dresses that stand without support, and more. The tension and lack thereof between dancers and between a dancer and his or her prop can be felt palpably by the audience. Between sections of the piece, the male dancers carry an enormous cloth which glides through the air gracefully like a scarf, and the lights dim, creating a sense of mystery which is consistent with the feelings of the audience in trying to figure out how to deal with these two conflicting ideas. Jiri Kylian was born in 1947 in Czechoslovakia to a dancer and a banker. He began his training in ballet at the School of National Ballet Prague at the age of nine, and soon after was accepted to the Prague Conservatory, where he first began experimenting with choreography. In 1967, the Royal Ballet School offered him a scholarship, and which led him to his future mentor, John

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