Koen Augustijnen
Beginning in 1991, Koen Augustijnen worked closely with the dance company Les Ballets C de la B, initially as a dancer in Alain Platel productions and later, between 1997 and 2013, as one of the company’s in-house choreographers. The bulk of his work and education background can be traced back to this collaboration. Bâche (2004) was his international breakthrough, followed by Import / Export (2006), Ashes (2009) and Au-delà (2012). Since 2013 he works as a freelancer. In Australia, he directed a dance solo for Dalisia Pigram of the Marrugeku Company, titled Gudirr Gudirr. In Palestine, he co-directed Badke (2013), together with Rosalba Torres and Hildegard Devuyst, a piece for ten Palestinian dancers produced by KVS, Les Ballets C de la B and The Qattan Foundation. He also presented Sehnsucht, limited edition (2014) at the Oldenburgische Staatstheater and Dancing Bach (2015) at the Konzerttheater Bern.
In addition to his work with Les Ballets C de la B he often collaborates with theatre companies, including Ivo Van Hove (Toneelgroep Amsterdam), Toneelgezelschap STAN (TgSTAN), and Chokri ben Chika.
Workshop: “Dancing Birds”
The workshop is conceived in two parts.
In the first part of the workshop, Koen Augustijnen and Rosalba Torres Guerrero will investigate the potential of traditional Greek circle dances. The pair will build on their experiences in Palestine, where they created Badke, along with Palestinian performers, a dance based on the traditional Arabic dabke. This part of the workshop will fall under the “Tragic Body” module and will focus on group work and the collective interaction of bodies on stage. One of the questions that will be raised is whether traditional group dances bring together communities and whether they allow for the integration of the “outsider.”
In the second part of the workshop, dramaturg Guy Cools will share his ongoing research about Greek moiroloi (lament song) and how it offers a template for contemporary practices of performative mourning. This part of the workshop will explore the diaphonic nature of the moiroloi, especially in connection with all those who are absent (deceased, exiles, immigrants). Participants will be invited to write and perform their personal laments. This part of the workshop will fall under the “Voice” module, focusing on “narration as bodily action.”
Towards the end of the workshop, both aspects – group work and solo work – will be integrated, with the possibility of a public showing in mind.