Susanne Bentley

And “if you hit me, I’ll hit you back!” Remember, the floor is your friend! I think I’ve said that to at least a thousand students by now over the years… Going to join my friend very shortly in Tanzquartier and in Tanzfabrik. See Calendar page for details.

Better late than never! It is  a beautiful image. Thanks Thomas – again!!!

photo: Thomas Sennesael

“Power properly understood is nothing but the ability to achieve purpose. It is the strength required to bring about social, political and economic change. What is needed is a realization that power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.” - MLK

What is your passion? How can you use your love for something and your power to share it to make your life and the lives of others shine?

Woohoo! SoloConversations gets a professional makeover…Check it out!!

“To dance is a radical act. To think about dance, to study dance, or to practice dance in this 21st century is a radical act.

Why?

Because if dancing matters—if dancing makes a difference to how we humans think and feel and act-then dancing challenges the values that fund modern western cultures.”…

This is the beginning of “To Dance Is a Radical Act – The practice of dancing is vital to our survival as humans on earth.”

SoloConversations were visited by TéléBruxelles during the last day of residence in Chien Perdu on Fri 11/11/2011. We performed for them and spoke about the upcoming piece “Evolve”. Watch the report. In the evening we presented a work in progress, along with other people’s performances. The next work in progress will be at Grand Studio (Molenbeek) on Dec 2nd, 20:00.

Not that we needed any of course…

L’éloquence des corps
Par Suzane VANINA
Publié le 24 juin 2011

“Ce qui fut le “Festival de danse contemporaine Balsa-Marni” pendant une dizaine d’années prend désormais le nom de “D.Festival”, D comme Danse, toujours, et se déroule uniquement au Marni. Un seul lieu mais de multiples facettes de l’art chorégraphique actuel, y compris dans ce qu’il a de plus évanescent : la performance.

L’enjeu des performances peut se risquer seul, à deux, ou à plusieurs, et user de différentes manières pour toucher de loin ou de très près un public.

Pour “Cielo in Terra”, deux hommes, deux frères, Giovanni et Carmelo Scarcella (Cie Giolisu), pendant une trentaine de minutes, alors qu’avec “SoloConversations”, ils ne sont pas moins de sept artistes internationaux, basés à Bruxelles : 4 danseuses, 3 danseurs, et 2 musiciens (un flutiste, un percussionniste) pour, en un quart d’heure, bouleverser toutes les idées reçues et préconçues. L’imagination ne peut s’empêcher de s’emparer de ces improvisations, d’y voir les promesses d’un spectacle plus long et plus abouti…”

Article complet/whole article

Here’s some footage of a movement quality we were exploring with Boris Cossio for 5 days this summer at Chien Perdu. Duo with Agostina D’Alessandro.

“The most important thing in art is the frame. For painting: literally; for other arts: figuratively – because, without this humble appliance, you can’t know where The Art stops and The Real World begins. You have to put a “box” around it because otherwise, what is that shit on the wall?” – Frank Zappa

Hmmm… not sure I agree entirely with Frank. I think the opposite is often true especially for performing arts. The question of whether the shit on the wall is art or just a bird who shat on the wing, or whether someone who moves in a slightly out of the ordinary way in the metro is a dancer performing or not is super interesting. Do you need to know? Isn’t it more intriguing if you are not sure? Or is it too scary for most people? We label and ‘box’ things in order to feel safe. What’s The Real World anyway? Isn’t it nature’s masterpiece?

On the other hand, reframing something can change the content entirely, and blow you out of the water, so the right frame can make all the difference. The above quote is framed by quotation marks and is in italics to differentiate it from the rest of the text, making it clear that Frank said this. Is it important that we know whether this is a quote or not, or whether he said it or someone else? Argh…I’m torn…and yes, it’s me in the photo – Am I performing?