SAMBA

SAMBA, the first installment in Uppercut Danseteater’s trilogy PLEJER ER DØD, invites audiences into a vivid, blood-red fantasy of pigs, samba, and human complexity. The performance transforms a circular stage into a dynamic arena – part circus, part swine-stall – where hierarchies, secrets, mischief, and intimacy collide. Here, the boundaries between performer and spectator blur: the audience sits close to the action, becoming part of a space filled with mud, hay, suspended bridges, and chairs, where every element contributes to the sensorial, almost ritualistic experience. Guided by the enigmatic “Pig,” viewers are swept into a world that probes human behaviors, relationships, and the subtleties of shared space.

SAMBA pulsates with urban energy and raw sensuality. The choreography, led by artistic director Stephanie Thomasen, combines capoeira, breakdance, contemporary, and acrobatic techniques, producing a fluid, unpredictable movement language. The four central dancers – Stephanie Thomasen, Mark Philip, Alessandro Sousa Pereira, and Linn Fletcher – interweave with percussionist Alexander Skjold Henriksen, whose live music is integral to the storytelling.

Together, the ensemble explores the space between us: the missteps, compromises, and intimate negotiations that define human connection. Moments of humor, danger, and grace emerge organically, as the performers inhabit both literal and metaphorical pigsties, bringing physicality and emotion to every gesture.

Set designer Johan Kølkjær’s scenography amplifies SAMBA’s immersive quality, transforming lighting, hay, mud, and props into instruments of atmosphere and narrative. The arena becomes a tactile, living environment where visual and auditory textures intertwine. The production balances the grotesque and the beautiful, the comic and the dark, asking audiences to confront both discomfort and delight. The interplay of physical space, live music, and performative intimacy creates a kind of cinematic choreography on stage – a multi-sensory experience that lingers long after the performance ends.

Premiering at Dansekapellet in 2020, SAMBA has toured internationally to Baden-Baden and Odense, positioning Uppercut Danseteater as a trailblazer in urban contemporary dance. Critically acclaimed for its daring concept and technical prowess, the production exemplifies the company’s unique approach: blending diverse movement styles while probing the human condition.

With awards including the Reumert Prize for SAMBA (2021) and KALINKA (2023), Stephanie Thomasen’s choreography and leadership solidify the trilogy’s place in Danish dance history. Beyond Denmark, Uppercut envisions SAMBA as a spearhead for global engagement, inviting international audiences to experience a performance that is at once visceral, reflective, and unforgettable.