UPCOMING

Thursday 16 February, 14.00-18.00 hrs
Studio T, Kromme Nieuwegracht 20 Utrecht

Due to contemporary cultural politics, drastic budget cuts in the arts, and the conservative mental climate in The Netherlands, the Dutch theatre and performance scene faces important changes in the years to come. Theatre companies will disappear, production houses are all being closed, and the emphasis on large audiences and commercial success required to receive funding will have devastating effects on a field which has been known for years for its many small-scale enterprises, highly regarded by the international art scene because of its extremely rich, varied, and experimental nature.
Dries Verhoeven, one of the most interesting directors and designers in the current landscape, has been able to develop his successful work precisely due to the specific characteristics and conditions of the Dutch art field.
In this masterclass we will investigate the work of Dries Verhoeven in close relation to the wider art scene and cultural climate in The Netherlands.

The first part of the session takes the question of “where are we now?” into consideration, by looking into the (recent) past. Dries Verhoeven will reflect on and show parts of his work in relation to his own artistic development. Next this development will be discussed in connection to the crucial role of production houses in his career. As a way of articulating this role further, the Dutch art scene is compared to working conditions in Germany and the UK.
The second part looks into the future: “what will we do?” Dries Verhoeven will approach the participants of this masterclass as (future) dramaturges, and engage them in a dialogue on how to position ourselves in the current art scene. Are we political enough? Should we be? What kind of work could emerge out of a critical attitude? Would that mean one actively engages in societal and/or political debates, or is it preferred to do precisely the opposite? These and other questions addressing the art field in general will again be connected to Verhoeven’s personal practice, by zooming in on his current activity of writing a funding application for the seasons to come. This masterclass, in short, is an exercise in intense-contemporary dramaturgy, which in the current time equals the necessity of taking position in-between crises and potentiality.

Dries Verhoeven studied theatre design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Maastricht (1995-1999). He started his career as a scenographer, from 2003 onwards he grew into an autonomous theatre maker, developing innovative projects which explores the direct address to the spectator. On the intersection of visual arts and theatre, his installations and experiential performances have appeared at numerous Dutch and international art festivals. Thy kingdom come (2003) was staged in Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, France, Italy, the UK and Germany; The big movement (2006) went on tour to Hungary, France and Belgium; his breakthrough performance You are here (2007) was performed at the Salzburger Festspiele in 2009 (AUS); Life streaming (2010) was presented at and co-produced with Schauspielhaus Bochum (DE) and the Lift Festival London (UK). Verhoeven has received high praise and various rewards for his pioneering set designs and his distinctive form of installation theatre, amongst others the Dutch mime award (2008) and the Mont Blanc Young Directors Award at the Salzburger Festspiele (2009).

Plaats/tijd: Studio T, Kromme Nieuwegracht 20 Utrecht / 16.00-18.00 uur

Traveling abroad to gain further dance education is not a new or unusual phenomenon. However, as the world becomes more integrated through globalization, with greater mobility and fluidity of culture due to contemporary processes and technologies, our cultural experiences, identities and practices may become separated from the places we inhabit. Dancers from Arabic-speaking countries frequently travel to Western cultural contexts to engage in dance education. Through in-depth interviews with contemporary dance practitioners from Arabic-speaking countries experiences of dance learning in different cultural contexts are revealed. These international interactions, with roles that position dancers from Arabic-speaking countries as learners and dancers from Europe and North America as teachers, can be seen extending a sense of foreign cultural hegemony within dance education practices. This research intends to illuminate the challenges faced by dancers from Arabic-speaking countries who engage with dance education in a Western cultural context, and the reverberations such experiences might have on their artistic choices and practices in their home environment.
Rosemary Martin is a dance researcher, tutor and PhD Candidate at The University of Auckland, New Zealand. While completing her PhD studies on the subject of the lecture, Rosemary is working as a Researcher and co-editor with Dr. Nicholas Rowe on a book titled ‘Our Dance Stories: Southern Mediterranean’, due to be released in May 2012.
Time/venue: 16.00-17.30 hrs / Studio T, Kromme Nieuwegracht 20 Utrecht.

Reservations: whytheatre@theatrestudies.nl, subject 'Martin 8 december'.