Thursday, May 21, 14:00
Ģertrūdes ielas Theatre, Ģertrūdes iela 101a
Duration: 1h
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Author and choreographer Koen Augustijnen
Co-authors and performers Eva Vancāne, Dmitrijs Gaitjukevičs, Aldis Liepiņš, Elīna Lutce, Evita Birule, Kristīne Vismane, Roberts Muciņš, Katrīna Albuže
Producer: New Theatre Institute of Latvia (www.theatre.lv)
Premiere on March 21, 2015
This piece follows up the work conceived and presented last summer in the public space of one of Riga’s most remote neighbourhoods, Vecmīlgrāvis. Flemish choreographer Koen Augustijnen (former member of les ballets C de la B) collaborated with eight young Latvian dancers to produce a piece inspired equally by real life stories and characters from the neighbourhood and the Latvian society as seen by the Flemish artist – a society that faces challenges and undergoes rapid change while attempting to hold onto traditions.
Blending contemporary with Latvian folk dance and popular culture into a physical, lively and energetic work, Koen Augustijnen together with eight young dancers creates on stage a community where loneliness and wish to get out is intertwined with yearning for belonging and group spirit.
Koen Augustijnen (1967) has been working closely with les ballets C de la B since 1991, initially as a dancer in performances staged by Alain Platel. In 1997, he become one of the dance company’s house choreographers, earning international recognition with his performances “bâche (2004), IMPORT/EXPORT (2006) and Ashes (2009). Lately Augustijnen has been working outside the company, creating work in Palestine, Australia, Switzerland, Germany. He has directed a video film about a Chilean teenager street dancer in Brussels, made a choreography with boxers and a mass choreography for the video clip Dance for the climate, collaborated with Belgian rock band dEUS, theatre director Ive van Hove and company TG Stan. Augustijnen’s productions reveal his keen interest in the world and bear resemblance to the house style of les ballets – they are eclectic, popular, anarchic and committed.
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