“7”: A Dance Through Seven Circles
A striking convergence of numbers marked the birth of “7”: the premiere unfolded at 7 PM on July 7. This triple‑seven symmetry echoes the layered structure of Dante’s “Divine Comedy”.
At the heart of the production stands director Ruslan Snitsarenko, who stepped into the role of Dante Alighieri. Together with students from the Omsk Music and Pedagogical College and dancers from “Dancing Beyond Borders”, he crafted a powerful physical narrative where movement speaks louder than words.
Prologue
From the very first seconds, it is clear: this performance will be grand and tragic
Members of the “Dancing Beyond Borders” organisation play a prominent role
Together with student performers of Omsk College, they will guide the audience through the levels of Purgatory
First Circle
Dante appears on stage with an apple for the first time: a symbol of temptation and the Fall
The protagonist wants to see the lost souls in their liminal state for himself
He must overcome seven ledges of a gloomy cliff rising from the ocean
On each level, he finds something that lures him and makes him linger
The first deadly sin is pride: in life, these people looked down on others with haughtiness
Now they are bent low and constantly burdened by an overwhelming weight
The proud would gladly keep Dante in their otherworldly realm forever
Fortunately, guardian angels accompany him on his path, unseen
Yes, the tempting power of the apple is great — resisting temptation is so hard…
Second Circle
…but so far, the angels manage to point the wanderer in the right direction
The second circle and the second sin — envy, the burning desire for what belongs to others
These sinners have been stripped of the eyes with which they looked upon everything with greed
And here, too, the angels remind him of themselves and of their role in the poet’s journey
For a moment, he pities the blind souls with bloody tears on their cheeks…
…but the prospect of sharing their fate proves all too real
Dante manages to break free: the envious, clad in sackcloth, are left behind alone
Once again, he owes his miraculous escape to his guardian angels
Their appearance stands in stark contrast to that of Purgatory’s inhabitants
Third Circle
A sudden shift in lighting signals the transition to the third level
Everyone here is consumed by wrath: both the fierce souls and the poet himself, under their influence
The dark force of this circle is captured with striking precision through modern choreography
Blood-red tones intensify the sense of perpetual danger
It comes to a clash: the wrathful are ready to tear each other to pieces
In the struggle, Dante loses his apple and, for the first time, understands: something must change
The angels reappear on stage with a vital mission
Here and now, they save the protagonist from death — they stop him from leaping off the cliff!
A fleeting impulse of despair gives way to a pragmatic resolve to carry on
It is hard to imagine what would have become of Dante without the higher forces of good
His journey through Purgatory changes him for the better — and this is felt by the audience
Having passed through three circles, he no longer finds sins as alluring as they seemed at the foot of the mountain
Fourth Circle
The fourth ledge greets with desolation and sorrow: here reigns sloth
Musically, it is a waltz — slow, drawn-out, monotonous
Truly, there is no worse sin than willingly giving up and surrendering to grief
Fifth Circle
The dancers push the weary traveller onward to the next level
At first glance, there is more dynamism here, even more life…
…but this is a false conclusion: the fifth circle has been seized by greed
Misers and the covetous are forced to lie face down in the dirt for eternity
They try to rise, only to fall again — as far from virtue as one can be
Their vice overcomes Dante as well: he greedily bites into every apple within reach
Sixth Circle
The scene shifts once more: the sound of a heavy downpour fills the air
The sin of the exhausted souls on the sixth ledge is gluttony
They try to catch the streams of water, to drink — but it passes straight through their bodies
Stepping away from the story for a moment, it is worth noting that “Dancing Beyond Borders” excels in a wide range of roles
They are equally convincing as messengers of God and as those doomed to eternal hunger and thirst
Several times a year, this remarkable troupe surprises Omsk audiences with new premiere performances
New lighting reveals the gluttons surrounded by fruit trees
“Twice dead in appearance”, they try to pluck the juicy fruits, reaching for them…
…but all their attempts fail — in atonement for their sin
Seventh Circle
The seventh and final level is the culmination of the poet’s journey
Before him unfolds a love story with a tragic ending
Lust brought together a young man and a woman whose marriage society would never have approved
She is of noble blood; he is a mere servant in a lavish palace
For a long time, the couple managed to keep their relationship a secret…
…but when word got out, condemnation was swift
“Banish them! Kill them!” — the young people could not withstand the endless onslaught
In despair, they climbed to the top of the high palace tower and threw themselves down
And so their souls entered the world of shadows, where purification by fire awaited them
Dante, too, overcomes the fire at the end of his path
Having understood the nature of sin and freed himself of temptation, the poet has drawn closer to God
Now he is fully ready to ascend to the Earthly Paradise
Epilogue
The performance ends in spectacular fashion, and all the performers take to the stage
Many episodes were choreographically demanding and even gruelling
The audience gives the skilled dancers a standing ovation
Igor Lavrov, head of “Dancing Beyond Borders”, considers “7” a truly special production
He thanked Ruslan Snitsarenko for the idea and his unwavering belief that it could be realised
New projects with this crew are already in the works — bold ones!
