Jiri Kylian's Petit Morset

The piece “Petit Mort” choreographed by Jiri Kylian for the Nederlands Dans Theater has been a success since created in 1991. In the beginning, the six male dancers dressed in a short like skin color corset each holding a sword establish an aggressive and violent tone for the piece. The six dancers performed down stage at unison with the swords in fighting movements creating the suspense and drama. After a few more movements with the swords, they placed the swords on the floor. The six male dancers danced in unison including a series of leaps. A low piano music started playing, all six dancers picked up their swords and conducted a few slow turns until they all again placed the swords on the floor and moved up stage while the light vanished and the music kept playing.
Now, you see 12 silhouettes with slow movement emphasizing the connection between their slow movements and the low piano music playing setting up the ritual tone of the piece. Then the six female dancers moved towards the dark up stage and watch the six male dancers under the light performed slow fighting movements with the swords in harmony with the low music. Following, all 12 dancers performed together then five duets faced up stage, and the light dimmed. An individualized duet under a bright light danced with the sword in hand. All the 12 dancers are again under the light and perform in unison. In the end, under a bright light, one duet performs a solo down stage dancing without the sword, while under dimmed light the second duet watched down stage. The second duet performed while the first duet moved up stage with the rest of the dancers under the