Schuhplatteln without lederhosen, is that even possible? It is, but it’s painful. At any rate, it’s what Upper Austrian choreographer Simon Mayer does in this plucky danced attempt at liberating folklore from the dusty corners of traditional-costume-wearing out-datedness. He also makes the whip crack and the chainsaw whirr, using the latter as a makeshift bench to sit down on after the work is done to enjoy the evening sun: Sunbeng = sunbed, obviously. Mayer’s solo SunBengSitting is daring and original, it makes you think, and it has become a classic of Austrian dance performance.
