Any attempt will end in crushed bodies and shattered bones

any attempt will end in crushed bodies and shattered bones is an ambitious, magnificent contemporary dance show on the power of individual action. Directly quoting Chinese President Xi Jinping’s ominous warning during the 2019 protests in Hong Kong, the title encapsules the verbal and physical violence that became the norm in our age.

At a time of extreme political polarization, Jan Martens gathers a diverse ensemble of seventeen performers of ages ranging from seventeen to seventy, and counters the divide by showing us direct democracy as a dance fable where each performer claims their place on stage while searching for their own voice. Respectful of each performer’s uniqueness, Martens created a masterful work that has met with enthusiastic audiences throughout the world.

The soundtrack features Henryk Górecki’s fascinating Harpsichord Concerto along with Max Roach’s jazz sounds, and spoken word by Kae Tempest.