Ad Hominem

About

Ad hominem is a modernist ballet impression that replaces a traditional narrative with pure dance to express human experience. The choreography is tightly bound to the music’s dynamic progressions, marked by sharp contrasts, build-ups, and abrupt shifts. The work explores human existence and the solitude of the individual within the crowd—the Latin title “Ad hominem” (“To the man”) evokes the isolated human unit. Music, dance, and visual form are treated as equal partners, with mobile spatial structures and lighting by Krzysztof Pankiewicz. The scenario and score were developed in tandem. Zbigniew Wiszniewski’s motoric, forceful score, often using twelve-tone and permutational techniques, augments the symphonic orchestra with a choir singing wordless vocalises, creating an eerie, resonant texture.