Double bill: Puff / Sons of the Soil
In Puff, everything revolves around what appears and then disappears again. Hiltinho Fantástico reveals a body that constantly reshapes itself, fuelled by samba, passinho and capoeira.
From the moment Hiltinho Fantástico steps onto the stage, his body seems not quite his own; it is dragged along, accelerates, comes to a standstill and shoots forward again. Fantástico moves between control and surrender. His feet tap at lightning speed, drawing on passinho, samba and capoeira, whilst his body sometimes seems to float and then collapses. Each breath, footstep, clap, the rhythm of his body: everything becomes part of the dance. In many dance forms derived from the African diaspora, movements, rhythms and knowledge were often concealed – as a means of survival. That idea runs like an undercurrent through this dance performance.
Everything you see is constantly shifting. At times sharp and precise, at others elusive, almost hallucinatory. As if something always remains just out of sight. In Puff, the body becomes a place where memory, imagination and transformation intertwine. And then – as if it were never quite substantial enough to hold onto – it’s gone again: puff!
Sons of the Soil
A poetic meeting of strength and softness: choreographer Sheree Lenting explores brotherhood, vulnerability and resilience set against the echoes of colonial history. She weaves movement, music and text into a landscape of rituals, memories and unspoken connections. In Sons of the Soil two young men take us on a journey into adulthood.
Rather than explaining masculinity from within, the work invites us to witness its complexity, beauty and layered nature.
Biographies
Sheree Lenting
Sheree Lenting is a Rotterdam-based dance artist, with Surinamese roots, at the Intersection of Art and Social Change. Her work seamlessly blends movement, film and storytelling, drawing on her experiences as a black woman. Sheree creates art that is both thought-provoking and socially relevant, providing a powerful mirror of our times. Her mission? To uplift, empower and inspire people to change.
With a BA in Dance & Education from the Amsterdam University of Arts, Sheree has refined her craft through international collaborations and intensive training at the Ecole des Sables in Senegal, under the guidance of renowned teachers. She has developed workshops and programmes for young people and various communities for and with organisations such as Move Forward Foundation and the HipHopHouse. Her dedication to social justice even took her to South Africa, where she choreographed for various projects and festivals.
Sheree’s innovative approach to dance has been awarded multiple grants and prizes. Her short film, SHE – The Black Female Body, garnered critical acclaim at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. In May 2024, she received the prestigious BNG Bank Dance Award for her interdisciplinary work ‘I Am My Ancestors’ Wildest Dream’. Since September 2023, Sheree also works as Dance and Community programmer at Theatre Rotterdam.
Alice Ripoll
Alice Ripoll has been working in contemporary dance for over twenty years, as a choreographer, performer and movement director for theatre and film. She leads the companies REC and SUAVE in Rio de Janeiro, through which she develops her own hybrid movement language, evident in performances such as Zona Franca and aCORdo, which were also shown at Julidans. Her work has been presented on major stages and at festivals, both in Brazil and internationally, from the Centre Pompidou and BAM to Kyoto Experiment and HAU Berlin.
Hiltinho Fantástico
Hiltinho Fantástico has been collaborating with choreographer Alice Ripoll for many years and is affiliated with the companies REC and SUAVE. His movement language is rooted in Brazilian urban dance forms such as passinho, samba and capoeira, which he blends with contemporary dance. With his physical precision and intense charisma, he tours internationally at leading festivals and venues.
Credits Puff
Direction Alice Ripoll
Creation & performance Hiltinho Fantástico
Assistant direction Alan Ferreira, Thais Peixoto
Light design Tomás Ribas
Costume & scenography Alice Ripoll, Thais Peixoto
Tour management Joana D’Aguiar
Production assistant Isabela Peixoto, Thais Peixoto
Original soundtrack Alice Ripoll, Mimosa
Coproduction Theater Rotterdam
Support Festival Actoral, Câmbio
Diffusion ART HAPPENS
Credits Sons of the Soil:
Choreography: Sheree Lenting i.s.m. de dansers
Dancers: Gaspar Ribeiro, Yashasvi Shrotriya
Spoken word: Jermaine Berkhoudt i.c.w. Sheree Lenting
Music (edit): Jermaine Berkhoudt
Special thanks to: Jermaine Berkhoudt and team Dansateliers
Length: 21 minuten
General credits DANSLOKAAL 13
Landelijke première: za 4 okt 2025, Maastricht
Rotterdamse première: di 30 sep 2025, Rotterdam
Naar een idee van: Conny Janssen
Techniek: Alfred van der Meulen & wisselend: Gijs Coolen, Jorn Kortooms, Guido Nieuwdorp, Koen te Poele, Remko van Wely
Repetitor: Erik Spruijt
Fotografie: Pien Düthmann, Martijn Kappers
Video: Davide Bellotta, Marlies Media, Mattia Trematerra
Repetitor: Erik Spruijt
Creatieve partners: Conny Janssen Danst, Dansateliers en Korzo
