“We’ve come full circle when it comes to our shows,” Felix tells me as we settle down to talk about Circle of Senses, which marks YADA’s 14th major production.

“There was a point when I was going towards the musical genre, but then I realised we have to stick to being a dance company. With this show we are going back to our roots, back to the days of Firedance and Tango where the focus was on dance, although there was some singing. Over the last few years, with the help of acting and vocal directors, we were introducing more acting and singing in our shows, because my idea was to help our dancers move forward in the three disciplines. Now, however, we are back to pure dance and it is going to be very tough on the dancers.”

For this show, there was no movie, script or anything to go by. Felix and other YADA members were all having lunch together when this concept came up. By pitching in with different ideas, it has now been developed into a major show.

Whatever kind of show YADA puts on each year, it always generates a lot of public interest – whether it is the haunting beauty of Christus or the racy, more daring Strait Street, this dance company never leaves audiences indifferent. As usual, Felix is promising a show which will entertain.

“Circle of Senses is taking us back to what we are best at – intricate, difficult, very technical choreography with lots of lifts. This is an original plot that portrays a message:an hour and a quarter of beauty, 15 minutes of horror and 5 minutes of hope. It’s a kaleidoscope – anything that stimulates our senses through feeling and music. It’s a journey around the world, about what touches the inner core. So we have aspects of India, the mysticism of Arabia, the passion and violence of the ninjas and the beauty of Africa – all touching different corners of humanity.”

Each of the senses will be represented by a different dancer:

Fiona McKeown is Tara, the sense of sight,

Kristina Schranz is Assaggia, the sense of taste,

Catherine Strawbridge is Toucher, the sense of touch,

Mario Grech is Reichen, the sense of smell,

Daron Galea is Oir, the sense of hearing,

and Lynne Salamone Reynaud is Six, the sixth sense.

Felix continues:“At one point everything stops and we show the audience another aspect, as we realise that we are slowly destroying everything that makes our five senses feel good. That brings us to the sixth sense: love and hope.”

Whoever watched the Malta Song for Europe on Thursday has already caught a glimpse of what’s in store with Circle of Senses. YADA will be performing another excerpt in this evening’s finals.

The choreography is by Felix together with Theresa Kerr, Justin Roy Barker, Vivienne Fielding Refalo and Daron Galea. The colourful, elaborate costumes are by Charles & Ron (Beatrix). As those who attend YADA’s shows know, spectacular productions are Felix’s forte.

“We are a modern dance jazz company but I pay a lot of attention to the visual aspect. I have always stressed lavish lights and scenery, even though dance will still be the focal point.”

From working with a cast of 300, including small children, Felix is this time directing a group of just 30.

“Handling large groups does not bother me; I do it each year with our school show, and such events as the Small Nations Games. The difference is that with a small cast, the force of an emotion has to be much stronger – so now instead of relying on the number we rely on the talent. Every single dancer is more important. The fact that there are no kids in this show has already helped – ultimately, it makes a professional company more professional. My intention is to take a show on tour and with this show it’s not hard. It’s a small cast, and there’s no scenery as such, it will be a 3-D cinematic experience showing constantly changing images. When people step into the theatre, it will not seem like the MCC either.”

Originally, Felix was looking for a different venue, but couldn’t find the right space for the dancing involved. His solution was to transform the MCC into a different space not only on stage but also in the auditorium.

“The minute you step through the door and are ushered in, it will be like a twilight zone. The show starts immediately; things happen as soon as you come in, in relation to your senses. You might get wet, get touched, get listened to, peeped upon. You will be touched by both beauty and horror, because only when one we sees a picture which leaves an impression will you want to change things. After all, your senses can be stimulated by both tragedy and fright.”

Even as Circle of Senses was in rehearsal, Felix was already hard at work on another project. KETZ – Kumpanija Ewropea taz-Zfin (European Dance Company) is his new “baby”.

“This will be completely different from YADA. I have always felt that there is a gap between the time a dancer has left a vocational school and the point where he or she starts to work with a professional company. The dancer might not be ready to start working, but is good enough to be in a company that tours Europe with the idea of inter-exchange within the EU. We can get a grant from the EU because we are training dancers. First we need to launch it in order to be recognised. We will be auditioning dancers from all over the EU, and there will be one place for a Maltese dancer. They will all be living together in a residence, based in Malta. International choreographers will be brought here to train them but the idea is to tour all over Europe. We cannot do this project with YADA because we already are a professional company. We are in communication with our MEPs and embassies, as well as the EU commissioner, after which we will travel to Brussels to apply for the grant.”

In 2009 YADA will celebrate its 25th anniversary. Does Felix think his dream of Malta having a national dance company can ever be realised?

“If KETZ comes out of Malta and is thriving, then a national dance company of 15 to 20 dancers on a payroll, to promote Maltese culture, would be feasible. It will prove to the government that it is possible.”

Circle of Senses will be performed at the Mediterranean Conference Centre from 16 to 18, and 23 to 25 February. Tickets are from Lm5 to Lm11.

Booking opens on Monday from MCC: tel number 2559-5750/1, e-mail [email protected], hotline: 7982-1901.