Studio Visit: Staatsballett

‘When you run while dancing,’ says Léo Lérus as he approaches the group of dancers, ‘it should be more like picking flowers. Quick. Abrupt. You pull the flowers out of the ground with your feet.’ He rises to his toes to demonstrate what he is trying to convey. His movements are graceful and seemingly effortless, yet his taut muscles and his perfectly straight feet en pointe betray the rigorous training and years of experience that have enabled him to move like this. ‘Five-minute break,’ he calls, motioning for his students to take a sip of water.

Here, in the rehearsal rooms of the Deutsche Oper, the Staatsballett Berlin (Berlin State Ballet) is studying the choreography for SAABA – a piece by Israeli choreographer Sharon Eyal. Her works are abstract, emotional structures of light, sound, and movement, inspired by the fluidity of life. They often appear cool and distant at first glance, yet with a subtle touch of grotesque humour and a hypnotic interplay of contrasts, they gain a human and very personal character. Eyal now resides in France, though her love for dance has taken her around the world: the Batsheva Dance Company in Tel Aviv, the Royal Swedish Ballet in Stockholm, and the Hubbard Street Dance Company in Chicago. In 2013, she founded the ensemble L-E-V with Gai Behar, who was primarily known for his work within Tel Aviv’s underground scene.

When Eyal cannot oversee rehearsals herself, choreographer and dance instructor Léo Lérus acts as her voice and assistant. His task is to teach the dancers the steps and prepare them for the premiere of SAABA on 25 October. ‘I speak with her nearly every day,’ he says during the rehearsal. When asked what SAABA wants to express, Lérus smiles. ‘I asked Sharon that very question this morning,’ he explains. ‘But it is always challenging to discuss the ideas behind her pieces with her. She does not think about her work in that way.’

Eyal’s ballets are about the human experience, the communication of emotions, intuition, and instinct, but exactly what emotions Sharon Eyal feels during the conceptual phase and what emotions she wants the dancers to convey remains her secret. Her choreographies are elusive visual and musical journeys that aim to connect the audience and performers – the beauty lies in the raw, unfiltered experience. ‘With Sharon, it is always as though she is sharing something very personal with you. Yet she never explicitly states what it is. And, in a way, I almost do not want to know,’ Lérus explains.

Sunlight streams through a large window, casting a glow on the polished floor and reflecting off the numerous mirrors on the walls. The rehearsal studio has high ceilings, almost like in a hall, yet the atmosphere here is intimate. The dancers are scattered in small groups, drinking eagerly from their water bottles. They have pushed their belongings – bags, jumpers, and towels – to the side in untidy piles, leaving the parquet floor clear. The dancers’ muscles are visible beneath their tight clothing, with sweat darkening the fabric. While they are waiting, they start rehearsing the next steps of the choreography. Their faces are focussed, yet they wear gentle, sincere smiles. This is their world: a world full of music, hidden emotions, and physical expression.

Originally, SAABA was conceived for 13 dancers and was performed in this form by the GöteborgsOperans Danskompani in 2021. The costumes for the piece were designed by the fashion house Dior under the creative direction of Maria Grazia Chiuri. Under Lérus’s guidance, the Staatsballett Berlin now rehearses with 20 dancers. Adapting the finished piece for a larger ensemble and interpreting it for them is a challenge. At the same time, though, it creates a space for a new interpretation of SAABA, shaped by how the ensemble perceives and transforms the piece. Eyal developed SAABA during the COVID-19 pandemic, at a time when interpersonal relationships and contact were minimised. No rehearsals could take place – and, for many, no artistic creation was possible at all. During this time, Eyal had the opportunity to delve unconditionally into her own thoughts and explore her innermost self.

Lérus met Eyal nearly 20 years ago at the Batsheva Dance Company. ‘She absolutely blew me away,’ he recalls with a smile. ‘Sharon has this ability to truly see the people she works with and bring out the best in them,’ he says. She made him feel seen for who he really was, where he came from, and what he brought within him. ‘Of course, all the movements are hers,’ Lérus says, carefully choosing his words. ‘But somehow, she manages to make you feel like it comes from you and that your individuality shapes the piece.’

The break is over. Lérus gathers the group together. Shortly after the dancers take their positions, the music begins. They are arranged in a V-shape, evenly spaced; a young dancer with long, dark blonde hair in a ponytail stands at the tip. The dance blends hard and soft movements: with their hands close to their faces, it appears as though the dancers alternately beckon seductively and caress an invisible creature as they run and stomp on their toes. In the sunlight, their tense muscles cast shadows, and sweat glistens on their cheeks. Then comes a turn. They stretch their arms forward, their torsos arched backwards. With their hands on their hips, the dancers move their heads in curt, precise nods. They each dance individually, embodying the rapid, rhythmic music – but the balance of the piece only reveals itself when viewed in its entirety; the power of SAABA lies in the collective formation.

As featured in SLEEK 82 – BALANCE. Available in print and digital here.