The film 'Suspiria' features girls dancing as though they are possessed, to the hypnotic music of Thom Yorke. For the choreography, director Luca Guadagnino called on the Belgian Damien Jalet.
Suspiria is a remake of the 1977 horror classic of the same name, by Dario Argento. The story takes place in a Berlin dance school that hides a lot of dark secrets. Unlike the original version, Luca Guadagnino has given much more attention to dance. Damien Jalet choreographed the three long dance scenes, which were the most memorable moments in the film. The complicated and intense movements were no mean feat for the dancers, who included lead actress Dakota Johnson. But the mesmerising witch dances take the film to a whole new level.
The fact that Guadagnino contacted Damien Jalet is no coincidence. Belgians have a formidable reputation in the field of contemporary dance. Just think of the work of Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Wim Vandekeybus, Alain Platel and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. Damien Jalet himself has vast experience. He previously danced with the Ultima Vez and Les Ballets C de la B companies. He subsequently started organising productions himself. He has worked with Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Marina Abramović, Antony Gormley, Christian Fennesz, Kohei Nawa and Arthur Nauzyciel, among others. In 2013, Damien Jalet was awarded the title of Chevalier de l'Ordre des arts et des lettres in France.