Review: MASTER OF DANCE at Dansens Hus, Elverket

Fredrik Benke Rydman has an amazing dance and choreography career that started with the dance company Bounce. After that there is a long list of productions he has personally participated in, choreographed or directed during the 25+ years that he has been one of the greatest in dance. Now it's time for his own master class where the audience gets the role of a dancer at an audition. The performance is built up with all the steps from the audition to the premiere, where the audience can actively participate with ideas that Fredrik then builds the choreography on. Each performance is therefore partially improvised and completely unique. When you get that insight, it's a great feeling, we're helping to create something here and now. This is what live is all about.

Fredrik follows a common thread when he shares various experiences from his dance life when he builds a performance. It is self-published, humorous, interesting and touching, but occasionally there is a slight drop in tempo in the dialogue. But the drop in tempo quickly fades away when it is interrupted by one of the many dance numbers where Fredrik really is the Master of Dance. Some dance numbers are choreographed beforehand while others emerge in the moment where you see that Fredrik breathes and lives dance. There is no dance style he does not master, which he shows when he gives a cavalcade of all the different dance styles he has danced in a few minutes.

A free culture is important and it is also captured here when Fredrik does a thought experiment if he was allowed to be the choreographer and gave Hitler another signature move. Dance is a form of expression that can unite and spread joy.

This is a show like no other and it's really cool. Incomparably good dancing and choreography with lighting that enhances the expressions. A whole that leaves an imprint on dance history. If you like dance performances, you shouldn't miss this one!