Rosas & Anne Teresa De Keermaeker
Rosas danst Rosas
Toccata

Photos from the performance

Rosas & Anne Teresa De Keermaeker

Rosas danst Rosas (May 9 and 10, 1995)
Toccata (May 12 and 13, 1995)


In 1983, the dance world was surprised by the oddly titled performance Rosas danst Rosas, because no-one had heard of any Rosas before. In 1988, this performance received the American Bessie Award, and it is still a living part of the Rosas repertoire, the company of Belgian choreographer and dancer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker. Since then, Rosas has presented more than ten large choreographic pieces, including Microcosms (1987), Ottone, Ottone (1987), Achterland (1990) and their latest work Toccata. Their piece Kinok was added to the dictionary of modern dance. The musical inspiration of Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker is very wild and includes such contemporary composers as Steve Reich, Terry Riley, Thierry de Mey, Etienne Vermeersch, György Ligeti and Béla Bartók, as well as Monteverdi, Chopin, Mozart and Bach. Similarly the dance style of Rosas arises out of modern dance techniques, as well as techniques from the "classical" school. In all their work, it is possible to recognise their respect of the tradition of dance. The film adaptations of their choreographic works creates a self-rhythmical quality, which originated under the personal leadership of Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker, or with collaboration with famous directors, such as Peter Greenaway. Since 1992, Rosas is a company of the Belgian National Opera La Monnaie. Perhaps for this reason, Anne Teresa is often recognised as the new Maurice Béjart.

Rosas danst Rosas

Choreography: Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker
Music: Thierry De Mey and Peter Vermeersch
Musicians: Thierry De Mey (p), Walter Hus (p), Eric Sleichim (sax), Peter Vermeersch (cl)

Performing: Cynthia Loemij, Sarah Ludi, Anne Mousselet, Samantha Van Wisse

Rehearsals for the remounting of the piece led by: Roxane Huilmand, Johanne Saunier
Costumes: Rosas
Stage Design: Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and Herman Sorgeloos
Lighting Design: Remon Fromont

The performance was created in co-production of: Rosas/La Monnaie - De Munt
Premiere of Rosas danst Rosas was on May 6, 1983 in the Théâtre de la Balsamine as part of the framework of the Kaaitheater Festival. In the first Rosas danst Rosas production, the dancers were: Borello, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Michele Ann De Mey and Fumiyo Ikeda. In 1984 and 1985, Adriana Borello and Michele Ann De Mey were replaced by Roxana Huilmand and Nadina Ganase. In the new 1992 performance of Rosas danst Rosas, the dancers are Muriël Hérault, Cynthia Loemij, Nathalie Million and Johanne Saunier.

After the performance at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York, the performance Rosas danst Rosas received two Bessie Awards, for choreograph and for lighting design.

Toccata

Choreographer: Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker

Music: J.S.Bach
Toccata, e-moll BWV914
Fantasy and Fugue, a-moll BWV904
Französische Suite V, e-moll BWV816
Sonata nach der Violinsonate, a-moll, d-moll BWV964
Nun Komm' der Heiden Heiland

Jos van Immerseel - piano

Musical dramaturgy: Georges Elie Octors
Performing: Marion Ballester, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Brice Leroux, Suman Hsu, Marion Levy

Assistance during rehearsals: Vincent Dunoyer, Fumiyo Ikeda, Johanne Saunier
Advisor for Baroque dance: Irene Ginger
Stage design: Herman Sorgeloos, with the assistance of Thierry De Mey
Lighting designer: Remon Fromont
Costumes: Carine Lauwers
Shoes: Yvonne Hamstra

Special thanks to the following persons: Walter Corten, Thierry De Mey, Jean-Louis Libert, Danielle Maes, Kees Van Houten, Joris Verdin

Premiere: June 27, 1993 in the Beurs van Berlage Theatre in Amsterdam.
The performance is a production of Rosas/La Monnaie - De Munt for the Holland Festival (Amsterdam)
Co-Producers: Holland Festival (Amsterdam), Octobre in Normandy (Rouen), Theater am Turm (Frankfurt nad Mohanem)

From 1992, the Rosas company is a company of the National Opera La Monnaie in Brussels. The group is supported by the department of Arts in the Ministry forthe Flemish Community, the National Lottery and Belgacom. In 1993, Rosas was given the title of Cultural Ambassador of Flanders.




The Archa Theatre production received the support from: Kredietbank and the Flemish Representative for the Czech Republic.