Vigil – Ballet National Theatre Ballet Brno

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Vigil – Three Dance Images of Searching, Loss, and Hope

Silent Woods

Silent Woods, a ballet by Mário Radačovský created for the NdB 2 company, is a dreamlike portrayal of a young woman's inner world. Set to the evocative music of Antonín Dvořák, the piece unfolds as an intimate journey through memories—returning to a past relationship and to the moments that shaped her identity. The relationship that once defined her reemerges in the form of subconscious recollections. Upon awakening, the heroine faces a crucial decision: to return to the familiarity of the past or to embark on a path toward a new, unknown horizon.

In the choreographer’s words: “It is a journey of self-discovery—an opening of emotional and sensory possibilities within each individual. The choreography reflects a sense of naivety, but also a certain purity that is characteristic of young people experiencing their first loves and relationships,” adds Radačovský.

Gnawa

Duato’s Gnawa is a dynamic, ritualistic choreography inspired by the traditional music and culture of North Africa. The ballet, pulsing with both meditative and ecstatic energy, celebrates the connection between the body, rhythm, and the spiritual force of community.

White Darkness

The evening culminates with the emotionally powerful White Darkness, Duato’s work dedicated to his late sister. Through the language of dance, it explores the dark themes of addiction and loss—the story of a woman seeking escape from a world devoid of love and meaning, only to find emptiness and solitude.

“I was deeply moved by how tragic it is when young people ruin their lives because of drugs and slip into a world so dark that there is no way out,” explains the choreographer, reflecting on the emotional core of the piece.

This evocative, deeply personal choreography closes the evening with a gaze into the white darkness of the human soul.