"How to be a dancer in 72 000 Easy lessons" review

Krishni POOPAALASINGHAM, Rafael MONTEIRO, Yael BINDNER-KALMANSON

English work: "How to be a dancer in 72 000 Easy lessons" review

Dublin-born choreographer and director Michael Keegan-Dolan is regarded as one of Britain's most talented, innovative and challenging choreographers. He is best known for his ability to combine dance and theater in subtle ways. Michael Keegan-Dolan has created works such as Sunday Lunch (1997), Fragile (1999), The Flowerbed (2000), Giselle (2003), The Bull (2005), James Son of James (2007)... He has also said of himself, in reference to dance, "For some reason I wanted to be a dancer," "And then I realized I was really bad at it. These quotes could illustrate the play he wrote and directed, “How to Be a Dancer in 72000 Easy Lessons”, which first performance took place in October 2023. Accompanied by his partner Rachel Poirier, Michael Keegan-Dolan recounts the story of his life, and in particular the development of his career as a dancer, although he also recounts a few comic anecdotes. The performance we attended was staged in Paris at the Théâtre de la Ville in the 18th district of Paris, on Friday, December the 15th 2023. So it was by breaking the codes of a simple play, or a simple dance show, that Michael Keegan-Dolan wrote and directed "How to be a dancer in 72 000 Easy Lessons”

One could expect an only-dance play, since the title announces dancing “lessons”, but it actually conveys all forms of art : the story goes on like a poem, enhancing the play with singing and dancing. The switch between narrative, movement, and choreography is a way for him to reveal his fears and unforgettable memories and above all, his passion for dance despite many obstacles.

From the very beginning, the play grabbed our attention. It was unusual to see actors on stage before the lights went off. What really stood out was that they were setting up the stage with the lights still on, therefore confusing the audience. But as the play unfolds, we all got into it. It felt like we were in the behind-the-scenes, making us more connected and close to the story.

A memorable scene happened when the lights dimmed, and the backdrop turned black. Rachel Poirier imitated the bullies' voices to intimidate the dancer. Her voice was sharp and harmful but, what made the scene special was that even when confronted, M.Keegan-Dolan  kept dancing.

The historical background played a major role in Keegan-Dolan’s parcours. An attack carried out by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) in 1996 in the centre of Manchester made him labeled as a terrorist. This etiquette followed him through his dancing parcours. He confronted discrimination and prejudices from other people. In a poignant scene, a person alludes to the Irish famine which made Keegan-Dolan astonished but above all, powerless. During this scene, Poirier, who represents the society, laughs as loud as she can. She portrays a lack of empathy from society towards Irish people, making the moment disheartened and provoking.

The numerous props – from blocks made of concrete to a huge wooden box – invite us to interpret the story and convey our curiosity. It can be a little difficult to understand, but as the play goes on, we know why they are used or belong there. In fact, it is even powerful because the story is as if his thoughts were released after being held for too long, which can explain the abundance of props and their random placements but also abrupt mood swings or even the switch from one song to another.

At last, what was really captivating was the solo dancing by Poirier, which lasted for about 10 minutes. Her dance delivers above all a message. It is her turn to tell her story. When we expect the dance to stop, the music still goes on and Poirier’s movements become more and more impressive. It explores her dance memories : she tells us about her struggles, joys, pride of being a dancer. Even when she was exhausted, her movements convey a feeling of strength or even freedom, showing us her passion for dance, but also the passion that held Keegan-Dolan to pursue his dance career throughout social and personal pressures. However, it would have been interesting to see more of Poirier’s experiences as a dancer, because it really focused on KD while Poirier was mostly helping with the narrative.

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