La La La Human Steps Shuts Down
After 35 years of provoking, bewildering and delighting audiences, Montreal’s La La La Human Steps is shutting down. In a letter posted on the company’s website yesterday, director Édouard Lock explained that the troupe’s financial debt made it “impossible to continue.”
Lisa Kovacs and Mike Dolan in 2 via lalalahumansteps.org
At its height, the globe-trotting company was hailed for its postmodern approach to pointework (sometimes for both men and women), as well as its gravity-defying choreography—particularly Lock’s signature barrel turn jumps. It created lavish productions with rock stars like David Bowie, and for many years was a vehicle for the incredible Louise Lecavalier (who, at 56, is still performing today).
One of La La La’s most popular hits might have been Lock’s breathtaking 2002 dance film Amelia. With music by David Lang and lyrics by Lou Reed, the dancers fly through space and at each other in a minimalistic world consisting of little more than light, wood and legs. As much as we’ll miss the company, luckily, some of Lock’s stunning rep will live on at other companies and in films like this.
