“In “La Substance,” Mr. Spångberg makes sharp points as he examines the nature of time: Instead of bodies he choreographed air and, to his credit, that took a few hours really to sink in”. The New York Times
«La Substance but in English» had its premiere at MoMa PS1 in January 2014. The performance is a four and a half hour tour de force into a materialist approach to dance with ten dancers, a singer, a huge mural and so much more.
«La Substance, but in English» created unexpected reactions in the audience in New York. “Something happened “ someone proposed, and meant something that couldn’t be described. Singer Taraka Larson of Prince Rama said she never laughed so much in four hours ever, another said that it was incredibly sad, while the dance scholar Andre Lepecki thought the show was as a spiritual energy drink but with movements, like an amplifier for one’s inner life.
What the show is about is hard to say but perhaps mostly about dance and the luxury of being together for no particular reason. «La Substance, but in English» is eye candy, costumes, make-up and a massive stage design, it’s very much dance that allows itself to be dancing and happy. It is a performance that is smiling. It’s pop music, hiphop and the best song ever. A dance performance where the audience grooves with the music and dance is contaminated by the beats. Sitting or lying on blankets on the floor the audience slides in and out between checking out the dance and enjoying life, post a picture, help out with that huge mural, pay attention and just have a good time. It’s like magic, but without surprises.
