An Urban Pleasure Garden

These studios host the practice and performance of scenes from Akram Khan’s modern reinterpretation of the romantic ballet Giselle. The core narrative draws heavily from the argument that the viewers’ and dancers’ experience of a modern ballet should be consistent with the choreographer’s vision of deconstruction and reinvention.

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The idea of movement as a pursuit of pleasure, from pedestrian activities to the ideal modern performance space, is challenged in this conception of romantic ballet. The expression of romantic movement proceeds from the carefully careless layout to the theatrical sublime experiences. This is manifested chiefly in the design of adaptable spatial boundaries that strips away traditional ways of viewing a performance to enable everyone to become part of one.