Opening: Foreshadow

A wall that is almost impossible to cross evokes all sorts of associations. But a wall is also used by dancers, yoga practitioners and martial artists to practise not falling.

In Foreshadow, the wall is used in a protracted investigation into gravity: how can a vertical fall be converted to oblique, diagonal or horizontal? How can the fall be slowed down by the sliding resistance of the wall? Flemish choreographer Alexander Vantournhout, labelled a "movement magician" by De Standaard, drew inspiration for his choreography from the animal world, in particular the adhesive power of reptiles such as lizards and geckos. -|- 'Foreshadowing' in novels and films gives a hint of what will happen later in the story. This builds tension, and sometimes also evokes a sense of unease. In the performance, the title refers to the continuous attempt to break down the wall. But what if that can only fail? Then the struggle of these performers is reminiscent of the myth of Sisyphus, who is punished with the impossible task of pushing a boulder across a mountain.

Thus, Vantournhout's work challenges not only our notions of gravity and spatiality, but also those of our purely human potential – against the odds.

concept & choreography Alexander Vantournhout
creation & performance Noémi Devaux, Axel Guérin, Patryk Klos, Nick Robaey, Josse Roger, Emmi Väisänen/Margaux Lissandre, Esse Vanderbruggen & Alexander Vantournhout
dramaturgy Rudi Laermans & Sébastien Hendrickx
outside eye Emmi Väisänen & Julien Monty
rehearsal director Sandy Williams
costumes Patty Eggerickx
light design Bert Van Dijck
sound Ruben Nachtergaele
diffusion Frans Brood Productions
company management Esther Maas
technical coordination Rinus Samyn & Bram Vandeghinste
production & tour management Barbara Falter & Aïda Gabriëls -|- production not standing
co-production le CENTQUATRE, Paris (FR), Kunstencentrum VIERNULVIER, Ghent (BE), Julidans, Amsterdam (NL), Biennale de la Danse, Lyon (FR), Le Maillon, Strasbourg (FR), Les Halles de Schaerbeek (BE), MA scène nationale – Pays de Montbéliard (FR), La Passerelle, scène nationale de Saint-Brieuc (FR), Theater Freiburg (DE) & Le Carreau Scène nationale de Forbach et de l'Est mosellan (FR).
special thanks De Grote Post, Ostend (BE), Plateforme 2 Pôles Cirque en Normandie / La Brèche à Cherbourg & le Cirque-Théâtre d’Elbeuf (FR), Maison de la Danse, Lyon (FR), Urte Groblyte, Bjorn Verlinde & Katherina Lindekens
created with the support of the Tax Shelter of the Belgian Federal Government, via Flanders Tax Shelter

not standing is supported by the Flemish Government.