 The French
word spectacle has a meaning more nuanced and dimensional than its
English cognate. In English, a spectacle is a mere amusement; In
French, un spectacle is meant to inspire and transport the viewer – to
fire the imagination and usher in the muses of the mysterious and the
fantastical. If you see Varekai, the latest production by
Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil, you will experience what the
francophone world refers to as un spectacle in one of its most intense
and gratifying manifestations.
The framework for Varekai is based on the Greek myth of Icarus, which
provided Quebec playwright Dominic Champagne with inspiration for the
production. In Varekai, Icarus descends into a mystical forest that
serves as a setting for the stunning talents of Cirque du Soleil’s
world-class troupe of performers to dazzle the audience with an
unforgettable show. In addition to the amazing demonstrations of
acrobatics and choreography, as well as the light comic interludes, the
music throughout the production is mesmerizing – with male (Craig
Jennings) and female (Isabelle Corradi) vocal guides lending nothing
less than an operatic tone to the mystical nature of the show. Mere
words cannot do justice to the spectacular panorama of Varekai, so I
encourage you to see the performance and let it work its spiritually
regenerative, inspirational magic on you at your earliest possible
convenience.
Dergin Tokmak
Near the beginning of the second act of Varekai, there is a fascinating
performance by a character dubbed the “Limping Angel”. The title of the
piece is “solo on crutches” and the featured artist is Turkish-German
dancer Dergin Tokmak. Dergin was a childhood victim of polio, but has
not allowed the malady’s effects to hinder him from becoming an elite
athlete and highly imaginative performer.
The fluidity of Dergin’s movement on crutches surpasses that of the
majority of professional dancers who use only their feet to get around.
Ever seen anyone hold a handstand on crutches? You will if you see
Dergin Tokmak in Varekai. He whirls around the crutches like a gymnast
on a vaulting horse. A German newspaper, citing Dergin’s cultural
roots, even compared this aspect of the performance to the traditional
dances of the dervishes in the Kolya region of Turkey. The comparison
is not without merit – however, Dergin’s steps are faster and more
varied than those of the classic Turkish dervishes.
As kids in Germany, Dergin and his friends became fascinated with
breakdancing. Dergin liked the fact that he didn’t need any kind of
formal training to learn to breakdance. He was also drawn to the
physically challenging aspects of this new style of expression – the
headspins, the jackhammers and, of course, the Worm. A light went on
for Dergin when he saw a dance performance on crutches by an L.A.-based
artist in the 1984 cult classic film “Breakin’”. Although this part of
the movie lasted no more than a few seconds, it was more than enough
inspiration. According to Dergin, after seeing this dance sequence, he
“never touched the ground again.”
In Varekai, Dergin’s character provides inspiration for Icarus to learn
how to walk again. In real life, it is Dergin’s sincere hope that his
performance will inspire audience members to overcome obstacles that
hinder them from realizing their own dreams – even if they manifest
themselves as internal mental barriers. When you watch Dergin Tokmak’s
uplifting performance in Varekai, you’ll see for yourself that you
don’t need wings to fly. Through his performance, Dergin wants to
remind the audience that “everything is possible,” and, after
experiencing Varekai in its entirety, no matter how jaded or
world-weary you may think you are, you would be hard-pressed to deny
the truth of this idea. Speaking of possibilities, who would have
guessed that the vision of three street performers twenty years ago in
Quebec would have evolved into nine elaborate, multi-million dollar
productions being staged simultaneously all over the world?
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