Will the real MARLENE DIETRICH please stand up?

Dancer/choreographer/director/singer and general creative lady Erna Ómarsdóttir of Íslenski Dansflokkurinn has never been afraid to take on something new. Together with the equally multi-faceted Slovenian Emil Hrvatin, who amongst other things is head of the production and publishing company Maska, and edits a magazine of the same title, she is currently developing “We Are All Marlene Dietrich FOR,” a work of contemporary dance to be performed on five dates between the 4th and 11th of February at the Borgarleikhús on Listabraut. The music is by Belgian group PONI.

Global military awareness

Erna and Emil have taken the position of the wartime icon as a starting point to explore the relationship between art and war, artist and soldier. Marlene performed to American troops, but was equally loved by the German army, though she refused to perform to them, and regarded her art, the entertainment of the forces, as a political instrument. “Being an artist means being an entertainer, it is something we cannot forget, it is like being Icelandic, or Slovenian; though we may not like it, it is integral to who we are,” states Emil with a contagious enthusiasm.

Soldiers get in for free

So with that in mind, and with the backdrop of a current global military awareness, they set out to create a work aimed towards an audience that is not their usual one, an audience that generally favours entertainment over artistic interest, an audience of peace keeping soldiers, and to that framework add the political questions and angles appropriate to the situation. Army staff and their families gain free entry. For tickets visit www.id.is.