Ann Van Den Broek: "E19 (direction san José)"

For many years Ann Van den Broek was one of the most remarkable dancers of Krisztina de Châtel’s company in Amsterdam. After she left, Van den Broek danced briefly with Galili Dance and Charleroi Danses before deciding to create her own work in 2000. Since then, Van den Broek has choreographed two animated solos performed by herself and piano player Rex Lobo, and the strong group piece “FF + Rew” for five women. She is clearly on a quest to find a new abstract movement language, which has so far resulted in a vivid and powerful dance vocabulary.

Human behaviour, emotions and her environment provide the starting points for her research.

At the start of this performance, the theatre is dark and the audience hears Dionne Warwick singing Burt Bacha­rach’s “Do you know the way to San José?” (“…I’m going back to find some peace of mind…”) The city on the west coast of America symbolizes a longing for rest and silence which pervades this performance – the need to escape from the constant overload of influences and personal goals and ideals that we impose upon ourselves.

When the music stops, a spotlight illuminates three women and two men standing centre-stage. Once in a while their ...