Synopsis:

Greek theatre stage director, choreographer and visual artist Dimitris Papaioannou returns to Singapore with his latest full-length creation,  Transverse Orientation.

A master of visual spectacle, Papaioannou blurs the lines between theatre, choreography and live performance to transform bodies and objects by illusion. Taking inspiration from the natural behaviour of moths to seek light, Transverse Orientation follows the human compulsion to find meaning on the journey of life. With its evocative imagery enveloped by the music of Vivaldi, the work depicts chaos, reconstruction and metamorphosis, exploring existential themes using scenes, symbols and figures from mythology and art history.

Since premiering in June 2021, this contemporary masterpiece has toured to more than twenty cities in Europe and America. Now, it arrives in Singapore, bringing one of the most renowned names in the international arts scene to mark the return of live international presentations for Esplanade's da:ns programming.

Papaioannou gained early recognition as a painter and comics artist, and came to international prominence following his direction of the 2004 Olympic ceremonies in Athens. In 2018, he created Since She for Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, becoming the first artist to set a new full-length work for the company. Transverse Orientation was nominated for Best New Dance Production by the Olivier Awards in 2022.