The majesty of the great outdoors captured in a risk-taking theatrical presentation.

The realms of sports and arts may seem worlds apart, but French choreographer Rachid Ouramdane has found a veritable link between the two, with beauty in the human spirit to triumph against all odds. Such is the nature of his work Corps extrêmes, which made its Singapore debut as part of the Esplanade’s dans: Out of Site programme last week, as it explores extreme outdoor sports and the inherent beauty and power in participating in them.

Created in collaboration with French highline world record holder Nathan Paulin, and Swiss climbing champion Nina Caprez, alongside eight acrobats, Corps extrêmes is arresting right from the start due to its unique set-up. Onstage, a massive, white rock climbing wall has been set up, stretching from end to end, which sets the stage for the performance we’re about to witness. When it does begin, the lights dim and the wall transforms into a screen – it’s surprisingly effective, considering how many protrusions and indents are on the wall, but all these are covered by a smooth image.

On film is Nathan Paulin, who is perched precariously on a highline as he walks across a massive chasm. The rock climbing wall does wonders for the projected film; it’s massive and provides the majesty and largeness needed to mimic the great outdoors, the trees and the mountains captured by the drone photography, within the urban, indoor setting of the Esplanade Theatre. One cannot help but utter a tiny gasp as he walks the line, carefully but confidently, while he speaks of his obsession, his passion for the sport, finding moments to even sit cross-legged on the highline, completely still, a sheer drop beneath him. It feels completely paradoxical to find peace in such a high-stakes situation, yet from the way he describes it, one understands the elevated state of mind he is in to rise above it all.

As the film fades off, highliner Daniel Laruelle appears onstage, more specifically, on a highline stretched from end to end. Crossing it as Paulin did in the film, to see it live instils in us a sense of fear for him, but he makes it seem so effortless, so ordinary, that we are enraptured. Larurelle’s feat is followed by a group of eight acrobats – Pablo Monedero, Tamila De Naeyer, Lisandro Gallo, Nicolò Marzoli, Xavier Mermod, Patricia Minder, Valérian Moutier, Maxime Seghers; who begin to perform a sequence of choreographed movements, all without any kind of safety net beneath the wall.

This is the part where Corps extrêmes ramps up the adrenaline, and goes from thoughtful, reflective performance to one that’s all about showcasing physical prowess, as the acrobats begin to climb the wall in sync with each other, forming a human chain of climbers rapidly going up and down the walls, or tumbling down into the safety of a waiting acrobat’s arm’s down below. It toes the line between arts and extreme sports; you can see the sweat glistening off of their bodies, clearly a highly physical feat, and appreciate the effort while marvelling at the aesthetics of their movements, and how they find grace in the gymnastics of it all. They are fast, powerful, and completely in their element, clearly rehearsed to the point where it feels like second nature.

As much as it all takes place within a controlled, indoor environment, there are moments you swear you’re transported to the Alps. Much of this comes from how we eventually segue into a second film, this time featuring Nina Caprez as she scales cliffsides. Once again, the risk feels amplified when projected onto the rock wall, realistic and huge, as she talks about her love for the sport. There comes a moment where she slips and falls from the cliff, and she lets loose a yelp of surprise before her harness leaves her suspended – the risk is real, and it’s interesting how the closer they are to death, the more alive they feel.

In this final segment, the acrobats push their choreography to even greater heights still, forming structures as they climb onto each other to build human ladders to scale the tallest parts of the rock wall, or performing death-defying feats as they swing each other across and catch them on the other side, seemingly going faster and faster without missing a beat. Even when they slip, they manage to pick themselves up quickly, moving ahead as if no mistake was made, and always assisting each other. And in a magnificent finale, Daniel Laruelle appears once again on the highline, removing the safety as we watch with bated breath – he allows himself to fall, but he is safe, caught by the acrobats, and seems to have undergone an awakening having overcome the fear.

Corps extrêmes is both sports and arts brought together in a riveting performance, where two seemingly disparate ideas come together to provide inspiration and awe in how the human spirit pushes it to go further and further, stretching beyond limits to reach new heights. It is a display of intense physicality, as well as a triumph of teamwork, where we are reminded that no one is alone, and that our successes are more often than not built upon the combined might and mutual trust in each other to achieve things we never thought possible, if only we step out of our comfort zone, and come face to face with life itself.

Photo Credit: Pascale Choulette

Corps extrêmes played from 6th to 7th December 2024 at the Esplanade Theatre. For more information, visit the website here

da:ns focus – Out of Site ran from 6th to 8th December 2024 at the Esplanade. Full programme available here

Production Credits:

Conception Rachid Ouramdane Music Jean-Baptiste Julien Video Jean-Camille Goimard Lighting Stéphane Graillot Costume Camille Panin Performed by Pablo Monedero, Camille Doumas (climber), Tamila De Naeyer, Lisandro Gallo, Daniel Laruelle (highliner), Nicolò Marzoli, Xavier Mermod, Patricia Minder, Valérian Moutier, Maxime Seghers With the support of Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels