KØTER (MONGREL) Dansk Danseteater / Danish Dance Theatre (Denmark)

The piece explores pettiness, oppression, and herd mentality

This contemporary dance performance delves into the Law of Jante, as envisioned by Marina Mascarell and the mongrel community epitomizes a group of narrow-minded individuals propelled by envy and apprehension towards the unfamiliar or new arrivals. They fail to celebrate uniqueness, instead exalting mediocrity and ensuring conformity while oppressing any divergence from the norm.

“Mongrels, to me, represent the alter ego of humans. They are street dogs without any specific breed. I employ this metaphor to shed light on the outsider, the stranger, the peculiar, the different, and the unconventional amidst the norm,” says Marina Mascarell.

The piece had it’s Danish premiere in January 2024 with an original musical composition crafted by the Spanish composer and cellist, Yamila Ríos and new costumes designed by Nina Botkay. Marina Mascarell has also revisited the choreography together with the dancers of Danish Dance Theatre.

STAGING AND CONCEPT Marina Mascarell

CHOREOGRAPHY  Marina Mascarell and Jessica Lyall, Lukas Hartvig-Møller, Yi-Shao Li, Amancio Gonzalez, Wolf Govaerts, Lola Potiron, Carlos Luis Blanco Ramos, Leticia Silva, Shih-Ping Lin.

MUSIC  Yamila Ríos

DANCERS  Jessica Lyall, Lukas Hartvig-Møller, Yi-Shao Li, Amancio Gonzalez, Wolf Govaerts, Lola Potiron, Carlos Luis Blanco Ramos, Leticia Silva, Shih-Ping Lin.

SET DESIGN Kristin Torp

COSTUMES  Nina Botkay

DRAMATURGY  Bodil Persson

CHOREOPRAPHY ASSISTENTS Patricia Seron Pawlik

CHOREOGRAPHY INTERN Ottavia Catenacci​​​​​​​

TEXT Josephine Olhoff-Jakobsen og Marina Mascarell

LIGHT DESIGN Raphael Frisenvænge Solholm

SOUND DESIGN LYDDESIGN Rafael Cañete Fernández

PHOTOS  Bradley Waller, Catrie Zorn