William Forsythe: Improvisation Technologies

Choreographer William Forsythe, artistic director of the Frankfurt Ballet since 1984, has brought about a shift of paradigms in contemporary dance. The vocabulary of his choreographies re-defines body, space, time and movement. »Improvisation Technologies«, originally intended for the professional use of the dancers of the Frankfurt Ballet, for the first time offers the opportunity to gain a different and unique access to the work of a major contemporary choreographer. 

Divided into 60 video chapters, the CD-ROM is made up of lecture demonstrations in which William Forsythe shows the essential principles of his improvisation techniques. Dance sequences, performed specially by Frankfurt Ballet members Christine Bürkle, Noah D. Gelber, Thomas McManus and Crystal Pite, can be called up as further illustrations. Also included is a document of improvisation in practice: Forsythe's performance of »Solo«, filmed in 1995 by Thomas Lovell Balogh. 

The CD-ROM is in English only, and is accompanied by a richly illustrated German/English booklet that features an interview with William Forsythe and an essay by dance critic Roslyn Sulcas.