© Raymond Mallentjer

Holland Festival: Freie Form

Marc Vanrunxt (BE)
Tue 24 Jun ’25 and Wed 25 Jun ’25
A sublime dialogue between dancer Samantha van Wissen and mezzosoprano and composer Els Mondelaers about the possibilities of free form in movement and music.
Tue 24 Jun ’25
and
Wed 25 Jun ’25

Choreographer Marc Vanrunxt and dancer Samantha van Wissen will join forces in a piece about different generations of dancers, dance identities, energy, and how to give ‘form’ to all this. Freie From is inspired by Franz West's homonymous sculpture. They will be joined onstage by mezzo-soprano Els Mondelaers, with whom Marc has regularly collaborated in the past. For Freie Form, Els composes and performs new work based on fragments by Morton Feldman and Yoko Ono.

Freie Form explores who creates the dance: the dancer or the choreographer? In what ways can memory live in bodies, objects, costumes and sound? Reusing objects and costumes from previous performances, like the silver cloth from Pink & Orange (2020) and a dress from Antropomorf 26 years ago, Marc brings them back to life.

The dancers in Freie Form are Samantha van Wissen and Igor Shyshko. Samantha was formed by her years with the Rosas dance company and choreographer Thomas Hauert. Igor integrates memories from Belarusian folklore and classical ballet. Mezzo-soprano and composer Els Mondelaers is a versatile performer who has collaborated with companies such as Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Asko|Schönberg and Slagwerk Den Haag.

Freie Form is a sculpture at the Antwerp Middelheimmuseum from 1998 by Austrian artist Franz West. Marc Vanrunxt sees it as an affirmation of possibilities for the future. The ‘freie form’ prompts reflection: what is free? What is form, and what a free form? Does it exist, and if so, is there something like formlessness in nature, in life, in art?

Meet the artist: Marc Vanrunxt

Choreographer Marc Vanrunxt has been active since the 1980s and is known for his minimalist and conceptual approach to dance. With moderator Maaike Muis he talks about his work that is characterised by a strong focus on the relationship between body, space and mind after the performance on Tuesday June 24rh. 

  • Duration: 60 mins. 
  • After talk on Tuesday June 24th
  • Podiumpas not valid for Holland Festival performances

Credits

idea Marc Vanrunxt choreography Marc Vanrunxt in close collaboration with Samantha van Wissen, Igor Shyshko dance Samantha van Wissen co-choreography Igor Shyshko music Els Mondelaers light design Stef Alleweireldt technical realisation Stef Alleweireldt production Kunst/Werk residence STUK co-financing Perpodium with support from de Vlaamse Gemeenschap

© Raymond Mallentjer
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© Raymond Mallentjer
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