Icarus

Icarus’s story creates questions: Is Icarus heroic or reckless? The opinions have always been divided. Inside us, there is a fight between the mind and the heart. Some saw the fall, but others saw the flight – it depends on the gaze. Since our childhood, we learn to follow the precise rules that contribute to our survival and the survival of the social system. We must not excel and we must not fall below the average. Icarus, however, is the embodiment of human striving to reach beyond the limits of the possible, to find new options, to venture into the unknown, to discover new dimensions. And perhaps learn something from the fall. Creative souls have no difficulty identifying with the character of Icarus, who inspires. Artists have always wanted to go into the unknown, the impossible. The dancer’s wishes are to fly, to rise up to the sun. To fly high or low? Perhaps the middle is the best choice. The myth that has inspired many artists also inspires the dance performance produced by the MN Dance Company in collaboration with the SNG Nova Gorica. 

CRITIC

INSIDE STORY BY ARTISTS OF ICARUS

Michal Rynia 

»The concept for our performance is inspired by the Greek myth Icarus and we are placing it in nowadays life. Icarus's story fills us with the question: is Icarus a hero or a reckless one? Opinions on this have always been divided. The struggle between mind and heart is beating inside us. Some have seen above all the fall, while others mainly flight – depending on the view. From an early age, we learn to stick to certain rules that contribute to our survival and the existence of the social system. Icarus, however, is the embodiment of human aspiration, he would cross the boundaries of the possible, discover new possibilities, venture into the unknown, discover new dimensions. Creative souls easily identify with the inspiring character of Icarus.«

Nastja Bremec Rynia

»In the performance, we were searching for new ways of expression that connect the past, present, and the future. The movement vocabulary of this performance is complex. The group of international dancers moving the borders of gravity is bringing you the message through the beauty and roughness of movement about the world that we are living in and the world that we imagine.« 

Tjaša Bucik

»As a dancer from Nova Gorica, I feel very lucky, that I am taking a part in this project. The opportunity to work in my hometown with amazing choreographers, friends, and dancers from Nova Gorica and abroad is amazing. I believe that we are a very diverse and interesting group of dancers, trying to pass our thoughts through movement and the performance itself. The theme about Icarus and his urge of flying high sinks in with the artist's need for expressing and searching for the limits. For us, this is moving and telling the story through dance.«

Matteo Palumbo 

»I am twenty-two years old and I come from Italy. I started dancing at the age of eight, and at eighteen I moved to Milan, where I studied at DHHD dance academy. Already during my studies, I followed the work of the MN Dance Company online. I was fascinated by their exploratory language and wanted to try it on my body, through which I also feel the topicality of the myth of Icarus.«

Noemi Capuano

»Three years ago I moved from Trieste to Nova Gorica, to cooperate with MN Dance Company and to follow my dreams of becoming a professional dancer. I was just sixteen when I started to attend Slovenian high school and living in a house of students, where I didn’t know anyone and I also was also not yet speaking Slovenian. Before moving my father was driving me to training three times a week, but now I also started teaching modern techniques to kids at the MN dance school besides my usual training and cooperating in their performances. This gave me the opportunity to live in dance as I always wanted. In the story of Icarus I represent someone who always tries to escape but never finds a way out. This could kind of fit me in a way of being scared of making some wrong choices.« 

David Micu

»I’m seventeen years old and I come from Cluj, Romania where I’m attending a choreography high school. I started dancing seven years ago, and at the beginning, I did street dance before truly finding myself in contemporary dance. One of the things I love most about it is that it allows and even encourages you to become whomever and whatever you want, wherever and whenever you feel like it. For me, dancing is not just work and a passion, it is a lifestyle. Everything I do it feels like dancing. 

Playing the Minotaur, with its heavy and strong movements, in the Icarus performance is an exciting opportunity for me.«

Eri Nishibara

»I was born in Japan and have been based in Berlin since 2019. First I danced ballet and then I was learning contemporary dance in Hungary. The theme of my work is to do my best and to contribute to finding a way to improve the project as a team. I see Icarus as a critique of technology, and a human arrogance at its use, which can lead to our collapse.«

Luka Vodopivec

»I come from Prvačina in Goriška region. I'm dancing at MN Dance Company for a very long time and I'm very happy to be part of it. In life and dance, we meet a lot with the motive of Icarus. We all have ups and downs and when we are up we always try to go even higher but sometimes it's better to stay where we are and not exceed our abilities.«

Robert Prein 

»I am from The Netherlands where I studied at the Amsterdam School of the Arts in dance, theatre, and singing. It has always been my dream to travel for my work and being in Slovenia is an amazing adventure to celebrate this after a challenging year with many canceled shows in the art world. I’m very glad to be a part of Icarus, being surrounded again by creatives who work so hard and passionately.«

So Yeon Shin

»I grew up in Seoul in South Korea. I started dancing at the age of fourteen and now I live in Berlin. When I was younger, I thought that a good dancer just moves well. But at some point, I realized, that it's more important what I express with the dance, what energy I radiate. In that sense, Icarus is a very interesting topic, it's longing for the unknown world. When I was younger, I imagined one day when I became an adult, I’ll shine like the stars. But the imagination of childhood is something else than life. But here, where I'm now, in wonderful Slovenia with wonderful people, it looks like the shining present I imagined as a child.«

Text edited by Ana Kržišnik Blažica / 30. Nov 1999

Production

Choreographer and author of music selection: Michal Rynia, Nastja Bremec Rynia
Concept authors: Michal Rynia, Nastja Bremec Rynia, Ana Kržišnik Blažica
Dramaturg: Ana Kržišnik Blažica
Scenographer: Aleksander Blažica
Costume designers: Michal Rynia, Nastja Bremec Rynia, Tanja Zorn Grželj
Light designer: Matjaž Bajc, Samo Oblokar
Sound designer: Matej Čelik   

Dancers: Nastja Bremec Rynia, Michal Rynia, Tjaša Bucik, Noemi Capuano, David Micu, Eri Nishibara, Matteo Palumbo, Robert Prein, So Yeon Shin, Luka Vodopivec
Recorded voice: Ana Facchini

PREMIERE: October 28, 2021, SNG Nova Gorica, big stage 
PRODUCTION: MN DANCE COMPANY
CO-PRODUCTION: EPK 2025, CD Ljubljana, Ministrstvo za kulturo Republike Slovenije, Mestna občina Nova Gorica, Gorizia Dance Festival Visavì

Special thanks for the stage lights to Intra Lighting.

Artistic team

Michal Rynia

Nastja Bremec Rynia

Noemi Capuano

Luka Vodopivec

David Micu

Eri Nishibara

Matteo Palumbo

Robert Prein

So Yean Shin

Tjaša Bucik

Ana Kržišnik Blažica

CRITIC

INSIDE STORY BY ARTISTS OF ICARUS

Michal Rynia 

»The concept for our performance is inspired by the Greek myth Icarus and we are placing it in nowadays life. Icarus's story fills us with the question: is Icarus a hero or a reckless one? Opinions on this have always been divided. The struggle between mind and heart is beating inside us. Some have seen above all the fall, while others mainly flight – depending on the view. From an early age, we learn to stick to certain rules that contribute to our survival and the existence of the social system. Icarus, however, is the embodiment of human aspiration, he would cross the boundaries of the possible, discover new possibilities, venture into the unknown, discover new dimensions. Creative souls easily identify with the inspiring character of Icarus.«

Nastja Bremec Rynia

»In the performance, we were searching for new ways of expression that connect the past, present, and the future. The movement vocabulary of this performance is complex. The group of international dancers moving the borders of gravity is bringing you the message through the beauty and roughness of movement about the world that we are living in and the world that we imagine.« 

Tjaša Bucik

»As a dancer from Nova Gorica, I feel very lucky, that I am taking a part in this project. The opportunity to work in my hometown with amazing choreographers, friends, and dancers from Nova Gorica and abroad is amazing. I believe that we are a very diverse and interesting group of dancers, trying to pass our thoughts through movement and the performance itself. The theme about Icarus and his urge of flying high sinks in with the artist's need for expressing and searching for the limits. For us, this is moving and telling the story through dance.«

Matteo Palumbo 

»I am twenty-two years old and I come from Italy. I started dancing at the age of eight, and at eighteen I moved to Milan, where I studied at DHHD dance academy. Already during my studies, I followed the work of the MN Dance Company online. I was fascinated by their exploratory language and wanted to try it on my body, through which I also feel the topicality of the myth of Icarus.«

Noemi Capuano

»Three years ago I moved from Trieste to Nova Gorica, to cooperate with MN Dance Company and to follow my dreams of becoming a professional dancer. I was just sixteen when I started to attend Slovenian high school and living in a house of students, where I didn’t know anyone and I also was also not yet speaking Slovenian. Before moving my father was driving me to training three times a week, but now I also started teaching modern techniques to kids at the MN dance school besides my usual training and cooperating in their performances. This gave me the opportunity to live in dance as I always wanted. In the story of Icarus I represent someone who always tries to escape but never finds a way out. This could kind of fit me in a way of being scared of making some wrong choices.« 

David Micu

»I’m seventeen years old and I come from Cluj, Romania where I’m attending a choreography high school. I started dancing seven years ago, and at the beginning, I did street dance before truly finding myself in contemporary dance. One of the things I love most about it is that it allows and even encourages you to become whomever and whatever you want, wherever and whenever you feel like it. For me, dancing is not just work and a passion, it is a lifestyle. Everything I do it feels like dancing. 

Playing the Minotaur, with its heavy and strong movements, in the Icarus performance is an exciting opportunity for me.«

Eri Nishibara

»I was born in Japan and have been based in Berlin since 2019. First I danced ballet and then I was learning contemporary dance in Hungary. The theme of my work is to do my best and to contribute to finding a way to improve the project as a team. I see Icarus as a critique of technology, and a human arrogance at its use, which can lead to our collapse.«

Luka Vodopivec

»I come from Prvačina in Goriška region. I'm dancing at MN Dance Company for a very long time and I'm very happy to be part of it. In life and dance, we meet a lot with the motive of Icarus. We all have ups and downs and when we are up we always try to go even higher but sometimes it's better to stay where we are and not exceed our abilities.«

Robert Prein 

»I am from The Netherlands where I studied at the Amsterdam School of the Arts in dance, theatre, and singing. It has always been my dream to travel for my work and being in Slovenia is an amazing adventure to celebrate this after a challenging year with many canceled shows in the art world. I’m very glad to be a part of Icarus, being surrounded again by creatives who work so hard and passionately.«

So Yeon Shin

»I grew up in Seoul in South Korea. I started dancing at the age of fourteen and now I live in Berlin. When I was younger, I thought that a good dancer just moves well. But at some point, I realized, that it's more important what I express with the dance, what energy I radiate. In that sense, Icarus is a very interesting topic, it's longing for the unknown world. When I was younger, I imagined one day when I became an adult, I’ll shine like the stars. But the imagination of childhood is something else than life. But here, where I'm now, in wonderful Slovenia with wonderful people, it looks like the shining present I imagined as a child.«

Text edited by Ana Kržišnik Blažica / 30. Nov 1999

Photos

Author: Aljoša Kravanja

Video

Trailer

Icarus is the son of the famous Athenian sculptor and stonemason Daedalus. To escape from captivity in Crete, Daedalus made wings of feathers and wax. He warned his son to fly low above the sea and not too close to the sun, but Icarus flew too high, the wax melted from the heat of the sun, and the boy plunged into the sea.