AINADAMAR
The reenactment of the show Ainadamar, written in 2003 by the Argentine Osvaldo Golijov, premiered in Scotland under the direction of Deborah Colker. The invitation was made by Scottish Opera– National Opera Company of Scotland – in partnership withOpera Ventures.
The work reimagines the life of Spanish poet and playwright Federico García Lorca, whose political life and sexuality led to his execution during the Spanish Civil War. In this staging, Colker makes her debut as an opera director. “It's been extraordinary to direct opera singers. Their voices come out through an intense, expressive body. The live music, coming from these same voices, builds the characters and instruments that pulse the rhythm of Lorcas story being told”, says Deborah.
2022
2018
DANCIN
DAYS
The history of the iconic "O Frenético Dancing Days", in the effervescent Rio de Janeiro of the 70s, marked the debut of the dancer and choreographer Deborah Colker in the theater direction. Music producer, journalist Nelson Motta, one of the founders of the legendary house in Rio, signs the text alongside Patrícia Andrade. The honor of partnering with Nelson and Patrícia, of rereading a group and such a great place, unpretentious and of enormous importance for our city, was a challenge in which Deborah knew she would not end the way she started. For the choreographer, making art, doing theater, doing a show is this: eternal possibility of learning and transforming. Mix styles, techniques, languages and be more and more different and unique. This show brings together music, theater, dance, history and recalls a time and place when friendship, courage, spontaneity and irreverence were genetic values of existence. The musical, which premiered in 2018, rescues the atmosphere of celebrating life, of feeling happiness knocking on the door when telling the story of the club idealized in 1976, by friends Nelson Motta, Scarlet Moon, Leonardo Netto, Dom Pepe and Djalma.
GAMES
OLYMPICS
One of the greatest honors, being Director of Movement for the Rio 2016 Olympics, showing a visual show representative of the energy of the Brazilian people. This show also included iconic elements of her work as a choreographer.
2016
2015
PASSION
In 1994, when the choreography was created, "Paixão" was part of the show "Vulcão", formed by distinct and independent choreographic pieces. To the sound of romantic songs, "Passion" was danced by couples, who express extreme situations of the romantic relationship. In 1997, the choreography was danced by Nora Esteves, as part of the opening program of that year's season at the Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro. In 2000 the choreography was performed by the Ballet of the city of São Paulo at the Municipal Theater of the city. In 2015 “Paixão” was presented at the Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro, with Deborah and the dancer Thiago Soares. The 20 duos that were made by different dancers were restricted to the two. “It is a choreography about love, meat, lust, passion, a loving relationship between two people”, explains the choreographer, who also defined this show as the meeting between two styles: contemporary dance, represented by her, and Thiago's classical ballet .
AT THE
Ballet de l'Opera
National du Rhin
In 2014, the French company Ballet de l'Opera Nacional du Rhin invited Deborah to reassemble the show Nó. In this, which is the company's seventh show, Deborah brought to the scene a very human theme: desire. The show, which premiered worldwide in Germany in 2005 at the Tanzfestival Movimentos, in Wolfsburg, brings the elements that made the company a phenomenon of communication with the public - the choreographic virtuosity, the precision and vigor of the dancers, the exploration and occupation of new scenic spaces. The French company dedicated itself during months of rehearsal to learn the techniques and the choreographic style of Deborah. Dancers tied with ropes, bodies that are imprisoned and released, movements inspired by a horse, dancers intertwined, a woman trapped by her hair. Nó was presented in November at the Teatro La Filature, in Mulhouse, France.
2014
2009
EGG
Cirque du Soleil
OVO is a Cirque du Soleil show directed by Deborah Colker in 2009. OVO takes place in a colorful ecosystem full of life in which insects work, eat, play, fight, seek love, until a mysterious egg appears in its midst. They are frightened and curious about the object that represents the enigma and the cycles of their lives. On stage, more than 53 dancers interpret the insects of this show, reinventing dances, mimes and acrobatics of the circus itself. The set design, created by Gringo Cardia, is inspired by the biodiversity of insects. The soundtrack is by Berna Ceppas and explores the sounds of Brazilian music itself. The show has already had more than 2,000 performances for more than three million people.
MARACANÃ
The dance show "Maracană" was choreographed by Deborah Colker especially for the official cultural program of the 2006 Cup. The show was an idea of a Kampnagel Kultur Fabrik cultural center in Hamburg, Germany, which registered the project with FIFA, with the name of the choreographer in the technical file. Sixteen dancers from Brazil and Germany represent movements typical of soccer players in action, as in a game between two teams.
2006
2003
SHE / HOME
Komische Oper Berlin
In 2002, Deborah was invited by the Berlin Ballet - Komische Oper to be invited choreographer of an unprecedented work. For this program, which debuted in February 2003 in Berlin, Deborah created especially for Komische Oper ELA which was presented together with CASA, a show originally created for the Deborah Colker Dance Company in 1999. For Komische Oper, Deborah rehearsed with ten dancers, to the sound of 57 musicians, under the direction of Mathias Foremny. The show featured the new 20-minute choreography ELA, and then CASA. Deborah, alongside the scenographer Gringo Cardia, her usual collaborator, worked to create a work on desire. As she used a libretto for the first time, the choreographer did a lot of research until she decided on her repertoire: Ravel (the first movement of the Piano and Orchestra Concerto itself), Górecki (first and third movement of Three Pieces in Old Style for String Orchestra) and Ravel (Le Jardin Feerique). The center of the scene is dominated by a tree 7 meters high. On the ground, green stripes simulate the soil. "The first dancer to enter represents desire and her presence causes confusion among the others, arousing ambition and envy", in a choreography full of sensuality and eroticism.