The Square Forest

What can the body become and be? What can the body say and see? Children and adults are invited into a forest where anything can happend. The dancers investigate how the body moves and changes in relation with objects, music, lights and the audience. Hands and feet create sound when they meet the ground, and suddenly a dancer dissappeares into the scenography. Maybe she has turned into a crawling larva?

The Square Forest is an imaginative dance performance for the very young. A blue fabric billows through the space, culminating in a soft, green landscape of pillows. With a playful approach to body and space, the performance can evoke participation, amazement and exitement in the young audience, emphasizing the encounters between child and adult, performer and spectator. At the end of the performance the dancers invite the audience into the space for further exploration of The Square Forest.

During the making of the piece, Ompaniet visited different kindergardens in Oslo, and the movement material in The Square Froest is inspired by these encounters. The performance is suited for children from the age of 6 months to 3 years old, accompanied by adults.

“My experience is that Ompaniet has an understanding about what small children like – calm voices, sounds, glance and no abrupt movements. As an adult I liked it, because I could see the children liking it.”, CEO at Seilduken Kindergarden (Oslo).

Artistic idea: Ompaniet

Dancers: Ompaniet – Ida Frømyr Borgen, Hanne Frostad Håkonsen and Maaike Croles Fitjar

Production: Ompaniet

Scenography: Jennie Hagevik Bringaker

Music: Simen Korsmo Robertsen

Light design: Tobias Leira

Poster design: Marie Haakstad

Photo: Tale Hendnes/Dansens Hus

Funded by: Arts Council Norway, The Cultural Departments of Oslo Municipality

Co-produced by: Rom for Dans

Premiered: Rom for Dans (Oslo) 26th-30th August 2015

Length: Ca. 40 min