In this lecture performance Ómarsdóttir and Jóhannsson reveal the secret behind their artistic genius and that of the borderline musical. They will humorously and sincerely discuss samples of their work with the audience, and talk about the emotional chaos involved in the creative process.

Over the past few years, Erna Ómarsdóttir’s choreography has attracted worldwide attention. Her partner Valdimar Jóhannsson is a musician in the punk rock band Reykjavik! among others.  In 2008, they co-founded the dance company Shalala. Their productions test the limits of vocal, bodily and musical expression: Borderline Musicals.

In the lecture, they mischievously advance their work to a genre, which requires a critical analysis and art-historical classification as a matter of course. Ómarsdóttir and Jóhannsson take on the roles of Borderline-Experts MC Multiple Personality Disorder and Putrid Saphire, re-enact choreographic sequences from earlier plays and enter into a dialogue with the audience. Self-perception and the perception of others come into conflict, and gradually the contours of what a Borderline Musical is are perceptible.

A lecture on borderline musicals simultaneously provides a panoramic overview of the work of two fascinating artists, while allowing analytic depth and a personally charged perspective on their own work.

CONCEPT, PERFORMANCE Erna Ómarsdóttir, Valdimar Jóhannsson ASSISTance Heba Eir, Jónasdóttir Kjeld LIghT Technican Gardar Eidsson PRODUcTION Shalala

Supported by Fonds of EEA from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, Reykjavík Dance Festival, APAP and Tjarnarbíó Theater. Thanks to Kramhúsið.