Jerome Bel and Pichet Klunchun: Pichet Klunchen and Myself

In 2005, French choreographer Jérôme Bel stirred up controversy when his troupe performed "The Show Must Go On" at the Pantages Theater. Some audience members walked out mid-show, shaking their heads at the seemingly confounding sight of people dancing badly to pop music onstage. Others held their lighted cell phones aloft, rock-concert style, and gave a hearty standing ovation that surpassed the Minnesota-nice tendency to spring out of the seat for just about anything. Bel's coming back, and although "Pichet Klunchun and Myself" sounds a bit less provocative, the concept is still intriguing. Klunchun, a classical Thai dance master, and Bel attempt to bridge the differences in their backgrounds through a conversation involving movement and words. A conceptual performance that does more than contrast dance styles and cultural norms in a sociological context, it instead showcases the artists' aesthetic intersections and counterpoints in personality through their wit, intelligence, and virtuosity.
Wednesdays, Thursdays, 8 p.m. Starts: Nov. 14. Continues through Nov. 15, 2007