Ula Sickle

Ula Sickle – The Sadness (Studio Residency 2020)

A graduate of P.A.R.T.S., the school founded by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Polish-Canadian choreographer Ula Sickle created Extended Play in 2016, a performance for five dancer-singers in collaboration with musician and visual artist Daniela Bershan (aka Baba Electronica). Using Ableton Live—a widely used music software—via an iPad application, the performers create and remix musical and choreographic material live during the performance.

In The Sadness, Ula brings together young performers around the genre of “Sad Rap,” a DIY musical style that has emerged in recent years on SoundCloud and other platforms. Largely self-produced, the genre blends emotionally driven, personal lyrics with melancholic music and hip-hop rhythms.

At a time when the future has never felt more uncertain, The Sadness seeks to give voice to the hopes and fears of the next generation. Under the musical direction of Japanese-American artist Lynn Rin Suemitsu (Golin), texts written by the performers are set to pulsating pop beats and a heavy sonic base.

Situated somewhere between a dance performance and a concert, the work is performed in the round within an intimate setting, where performers and audience share the same space.