‘Keep up the good work’, ‘Use your imagination and creativity’, ‘Courage’, ‘Onwards and upwards!’, some closure wordings of emails I am reading these days. And surely, we keep on doing what we need (and love) to do, we navigate through all the measurements trying to keep track and see what is and what is not possible and safe.
But sometimes it is somewhat hard to be able to keep up with our adaptive skills and respond to the moment-to-moment ever changing measurements. Measurements which lead to messages like: ‘Unfortunately the performance will not go through’ or ‘It is with a heavy heart that we need to share with you that our festival is canceled’.
We are happy to share that we can look back on three premiers that did took place in the months of September and October; the fascinating work Warping Soul (part of DANSLOKAAL 8 -Conny Janssen Danst) by Andreas Hannes, Stating the Obvious, a hopeful and touching new work by Ingrid Berger Myhre and the immersive simulated rave space Pilot PC by Connor Schumacher, that made the public enthusiastically dance along.
The most recent Covid-19 related measurements did lead to cancellations of performances in the respective tours of these three works. FASE, the latest work by Marta & Kim, got canceled for a second time, as Festival Circolo was completely canceled and got canceled yet another time, after the attempt of the festival’s great team to organize an alternative for the festival, which in the end could not take place either.
We ourselves, have decided to postpone HBS-FEST, the collaborative project with our partners Grounds and DoelenEnsemble. We were aiming for coronaproof itineraries with small groups of audiences through the building, with dance, spoken word, music and film. Given the situation, it became quite impossible to go ahead with it. Unfortunately, we also had to decide to cancel the movement classes again, after a careful start in September.
It is a demanding time for everybody, but we will have to deal with it. We are refocusing once again and work with what is possible in the current situation. Like in the springtime, we’re going back online with our movement classes, to meet and dance with you in your own homes. FASE by Marta & Kim will be filmed and will have its premier at a later moment. Courtney May Robertson, Ian Ancheta and Dane Badal will all three create their solos for HBS-FEST. In collaboration with them, Paul Sixta will create three films and Chery van Dalen will translate the works into spoken word.
All of these creations will be brought back and combined with concerts by our music partners in the spring time, when HBS-FEST will happen, so stay tuned.
Onwards and upwards, hope to be able to welcome you back in our spaces soon!
Kristin de Groot
Director Dansateliers
