“Sometimes Life Gets Dark” is a dance-theatre performance exploring complex emotional states and the shadow side of human nature, often suppressed through various, sometimes harmful, means. It is a play between the suffering individual–the inner experiences of the artist–and the absurdity of the external world, permeated with dark humor. These contradictions, constantly evolving into open conflict, are conveyed through a synthesis of dance, theatre, and music, demanding significant emotional and physical intensity.

The performance is inspired by the nostalgic sound of the late 1980s and early 1990s band Mazzy Star, as well as the lost rebellious aesthetic of the late 20th-century generation. Through absurd imagery and deliberately fragmented scenography, the creator invites the audience on a journey into the inner world, overshadowed by real and imagined darkness. This journey is undertaken with the hope of escaping the labyrinth of pain and closing its doors, while searching for healthier ways to exist, live, and create.

The work is closely connected to personal experiences familiar to almost everyone: coping with failure, confronting oneself, seeking help during emotional crises, and questioning overall meaning. The performance encourages dialogue about often unspoken topics, inviting reflection, acceptance of inner darkness, and a willingness not to turn away from the more difficult aspects of one’s personality.

The music of Mazzy Star attracted the creator’s attention for a reason. The voice of vocalist Hope Sandoval, along with her soft, longing style of expression–speaking of yearning and inner darkness—subtly reflects the interplay of opposites central to the performance. As in her music, so in the performance, alongside piercing pain and confusion emerge traces of tenderness, connection, and hope. The leitmotif and title of the piece are also inspired by her words. When asked what she would say to those who consider her music too dark, she replied: “Sometimes life gets dark.”

About the choreographer

Lithuanian dancer and choreographer Tadas Almantas studied at the National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Arts and later at Codarts Rotterdam and HfMDK Frankfurt, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Dance and a Master’s degree in Contemporary Dance Education.

As a dancer, he has performed in Hollow Bones (choreography by Jacopo Godani, Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company, presented at LAC Lugano), Juodvarniai (choreography by Lina Puodžiukaitė-Lanauskienė, Euro-Scene Leipzig festival), and made his debut in productions at Oper Frankfurt, including Maskerade, Der Rosenkavalier, Norma, and Boris Godunov.

As a teacher, he has worked at Kaunas City Chamber Theatre, HfMDK Frankfurt, the National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Arts, Stockholm University of the Arts, and the Staatstheater Darmstadt.

As a choreographer, he has presented works at the Aura ‘35 festival, collaborated on Nuepiko (as assistant), and created Attachment at Kaunas City Chamber Theatre with artists with disabilities, for which he received the “Fortūna” award.