Hurst & Sillander

Sillander & Pascual (choreographer and performer Annika Sillander and set-designer and visual artist Rosa Pascual) have collaborated since their college days. Both independently and together they have produced dance theatre and movement installation pieces. Annika has choreographed “Polku”[path] Finland, “May I have the pleasure”, Finland, and together with Rosa “Salidas/Sortides/Exits” Barcelona and “Places Where I am” Resolution! and Finland. Rosa has devised and directed “Lorca’s Dreams” Barcelona and “Your own” London. To name a few. The company is interested in producing dance theatre that engages dance practice and visual performance, utilizing multi-media, text, song, energetic dance and does this with both candor and humour. The company engages performers per production, but always strives to work with performers that are individual, skilled, and varied.

If pains must come, let them extend to few

If pains must come… is a tragicomic and somewhat gritty look at happiness. The piece does not attempt to show what happiness is, but looks at the journeys we take to get there, the sweaty, stark, sometimes selfish pursuit of happiness we engage in. If pains must come… uses the research of philosopher Jeremy Bentham and David Lykken as starting points.

Happiness is a huge concept, one which is present in our daily lives, and one which cannot be explained easily. We cannot always say with great certainty what will make us happy but we do search for happiness in numerous ways. The piece investigates the journeys we undertake, the actions we engage in, the pain we want to avoid, the pleasures we want to experience.

The piece engages the subject matter with humour and honesty. The combination of physical dance, snippets of spoken text, green foliage and the lived experiences of the five performers, creates a piece that might not bring happiness but aims to be thought provoking and entertaining.

Choreographed by Annika Sillander
Dancers: Sarah Golding, Terry Donovan, Fran Button, Annika Sillander