Skatepark

Behind the skate ramps, people spray-paint graffiti and make music, play basketball, laugh and dance. But above all, gravity is tested with dizzying travelings from slope to slope in all kinds of jumps and tricks, parabolas and 'eights'. Together with a motley crew of local skaters aged 11 to 35 and professional dancers, choreographer Mette Ingvartsen explores the speed, power and energy of movement on wheels, a nostalgic reference to her childhood.

With a good dose of perseverance, a sense of experimentation and a touch of healthy rivalry, the skaters come together in the shared space, paying special attention to the other. Giving each other space and just having another go in a sense of fun, freedom and connection – that's what it's all about. Where some manage to excel, others fall flat on their faces, but those who do always receive encouraging applause.
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The skaters' constant attempts to stay balanced, their lively interactions and playful clashes also represent something larger and significant: what could we as a society learn about new forms of unity and coexistence?

"Ingvartsen explodes the fun and rebellion of skate culture in the theatre. This energy bomb proves it: punx not dead!" - De Standaard

concept & choreography Mette Ingvartsen
with Damien Delsaux, Manuel Faust, Aline Boas, Mary Pop Wheels, Sam Gelis, Fouad Nafili, Júlia Rúbies Subirós, Thomas Bîrzan, Briek Neuckermans, Indreas Kifleyesus, Arthur Vannes, Camille Gecchele, Mathias Thiers and local skaters
choreographic assistant Michaël Pomero
sound design Anne van de Star, Peter Lenaerts
lighting design Minna Tiikkainen
music Felix Kubin, Mord Records, Why the eye, sonaBLAST! Records, Rrose, The Fanny Pads, Restive Plaggona
dramaturgy Bojana Cvejić
costumes Jennifer Defays
scenography Pierre Jambé/Antidote
technical design set Stéphane Thonnard
construction set Construction workshop of Théâtre National Bruxelles: Joachim Pochet, Joachim Hesse, Pierre Jardon, Yves Philippaerts, Andrea Messana, Boyd Gates
technical direction Hans Meijer
sound technicians Milan Van Doren, Yrjänä Rankka, Filip Vilhelmsson
lighting technicians Bennert Vancottem, Jan-Simon De Lille Supervisor
kids Billie Meeussen, Victor Perez Hernandez
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production and administration officer Joey Ng
production Oihana Azpillaga Camio
communication Jeroen Goffings
management Ruth Collier
production Great Investment vzw
coproduction La Danse en grande forme (Cndc - Angers, Malandain Ballet Biarritz, La Manufacture CDCN Nouvelle-Aquitaine Bordeaux · La Rochelle, CCN de Caen en Normandie, L’échangeur - CDCN Hauts-deFrance, CCN2 – Grenoble, La Briqueterie – CDCN du Val de Marne, CCN - Ballet national de Marseille, CCN de Nantes, CCN d’Orléans, Atelier de Paris / CDCN, Le Gymnase CDCN Roubaix - Hauts-de-France, La Place de La Danse - CDCN Toulouse – Occitanie, La MC2 - Grenoble), Ruhrtriennale, Wiener Festwochen & Tanzquartier Wien, La Villette & Théâtre Chaillot, deSingel, Kaaitheater & Théâtre National WallonieBruxelles, Kunstencentrum VIERNULVIER, Next Festival, Charleroi danse centre chorégraphique de Wallonie – Bruxelles, Theater Rotterdam, Perpodium
supported by Fondation d’entreprise Hermès, Wilhelm Hansen Fonden
residency Rosas, Charleroi danse centre chorégraphique de Wallonie – Bruxelles, deSingel
Great Investment is supported by The Flemish Authorities, The Flemish Community Commission (VGC), Tax Shelter of the Belgian Federal Government & The Danish Arts Council