International Theatre and Dance Performances in the Netherlands
'It is simple. If you keep the windows and doors shut, your house starts to smell. Therefore, you have to air it out', says Frie Leysen, 'grande dame' of the theatre world, about the collaboration ERVAAR DAAR HIER THEATER [Experience There Here Theatre]. Starting in October 2012, five outstanding dance and theatre performances will tour seven Dutch cities. Frie Leysen, known for leading international festivals such as the KunstenFestivaldesArts in Brussels and Theater der Welt during RUHR2010 in Nordrhein-Westfalen, has been appointed to curate the series.
You often hear theatre lovers say: 'Visiting the theatre is allowing yourself to be led into another world and to empathise with someone else’s emotions. The most beautiful experiences are often those that are the result of a confrontation with something unknown. Such an awe-inspiring world is full of thoughts, feelings and events that may seem far removed from oneself, but at the same time feel familiar. After all, every person may be unique, but there are universal emotions and themes'. In these performances (theatre) makers tell personal stories about their home countries. Theatres across the Netherlands will perform five selected theatre and dance pieces from regions that the Dutch have had little experience with, until now. Performances from Argentina, China, Lebanon, Vietnam and South Africa are part of the programme.
Frie Leysen: 'Usually performances like those by the Vietnamese Ea Sola or the Chinese Wen Hui are only presented during festivals. Now you will be able to enjoy them in your own theatre and admire them and be surprised by them, while they take you into a universe that was conjured up on the other side of the world. I bet that all of a sudden it will seem a lot closer'.
Initiators
Stichting DOEN, development organisation Hivos, the Prince Claus Fund and the Fonds Podiumkunsten [Performing Arts Fund] are joining forces for ERVAAR DAAR HIER THEATER [Experience There Here Theatre]. ERVAAR DAAR HIER THEATER was created in order to present artists from other, sometimes unknown cultures, more frequently on the Dutch stage. All parties are contributing both conceptually and financially to this exceptional collaboration.
Frie Leysen has been appointed as curator. Given his experience as organiser of international tours and as programmer of the Julidans Festival, Jaap van Baasbank (Van Baasbank & Co) is also involved in the collaboration.
Programme and participating theatres
- MedEia by Third World Bun Fight / Brett Bailey, South Africa (October 2012)
- Listening to Third Grandmother’s Stories by Living Dance Studio/Wen Hui, China (November 2012)
- You can leave what you want by Intimo Teatro Itinerante/Fernando Rubio, Argentina (February 2013)
- Riding on a Cloud by 2011 Prince Claus Laureate Rabih Mroué, Lebanon (March 2013)
- Drought and Rain by Ea Sola, Vietnam (April 2013)
Participating theatres: Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam, Theater Frascati, Amsterdam, Rotterdamse Schouwburg, Stadsschouwburg Utrecht, Wilminktheater Enschede, Parkstad Limburg Theaters, Stadsschouwburg Groningen and Theaters Tilburg and De Nieuwe Vorst in Tilburg.
"there are universal emotions and themes"
Tour dates of the programme pdf - 0.12 MB
Tour dates of the programme
Description of the Dance an Theatre performances pdf - 0.14 MB
Description of the Dance an Theatre performances
Frie Leysen curator
Frie Leysen (1950) is always looking for the 'new and unknown' in theatre.
Leysen became the first artistic director of the theatre and concert hall deSingel in Antwerp in 1980. In 1994 she was involved in the founding the dual language KunstenFestivaldesArts in Brussels. She programmed ten seasons and was turned the festival into a resounding success.
She was awarded the Prijs voor Algemene Culturele Verdienste [Prize for General Cultural Contributions] by the Flemish Community in 2003, and it 2007 Leysen was granted an honorary Doctorate from the Free University of Brussels for her groundbreaking, innovative and bold approach in the art world. Since Leysen left her directorship of KunstenFestivaldesArts in 2006, she has organised one-time events for certain festivals: notably, Meeting Points in the Arab Worlds in 2007, Theater der Welt for RURH2010 and this year she will lead the Berlin festival Spielzeit Europa.
Zaaigoed [Seeds]
The collaborative programme includes a separate exchange called Zaaigoed [Seeds] that brings partners from Africa, Asia and Latin American to the Netherlands for festivals or residencies with performing arts organisations.
Theatre makers from these regions are introduced to new ideas and visions – because the unknown is also a large source of inspiration for them! During their meetings with fellow Dutch practitioners, artistic views are exchanged and networks expanded. In turn, theatre makers from the Netherlands will go to Africa, Asia and Latin America, where they will gain new experiences and exchange their knowledge and ways of working with local practitioners. When that leads to interesting collaborations, then they will of course find their way into the Dutch performing arts circuit.
In a collaboration between SICA [Dutch Centre for International Cultural Activities] and the Netherlands Theatre Institute, visitor programmes are being organised for theatre makers and directors of international cultural performing arts organisations.
International Theatre and Dance Performances in the Netherlands
'It is simple. If you keep the windows and doors shut, your house starts to smell. Therefore, you have to air it out', says Frie Leysen, 'grande dame' of the theatre world, about the collaboration ERVAAR DAAR HIER THEATER [Experience There Here Theatre]. Starting in October 2012, five outstanding dance and theatre performances will tour seven Dutch cities. Frie Leysen, known for leading international...
International Theatre and Dance Performances in the Netherlands
'It is simple. If you keep the windows and doors shut, your house starts to smell. Therefore, you have to air it out', says Frie Leysen, 'grande dame' of the theatre world, about the collaboration ERVAAR DAAR HIER THEATER [Experience There Here Theatre]. Starting in October 2012, five outstanding dance and theatre performances will tour seven Dutch cities. Frie Leysen, known for leading international...
