Alexander Vantournhout / Not Standing

Total standstill? A tempting but unattainable longing, as choreographer Alexander Vantournhout demonstrates with Nimble. In this new, large-scale creation, nine dancers from his company Not Standing share the stage - their first time in a large auditorium. At times, they merge into a single disciplined swarm, only for the formation to disperse once again into individual atoms. Like an internal symphony, their bodily rhythms dictate the choreographic cadence.

Vantournhout has developed a distinctive movement language at the crossroads of dance, martial arts, circus, yoga, and anatomy. His work stems from an in-depth exploration of the physical and kinetic potential of the body, and the relationship between body and object. In Nimble, this focus shifts to the group and the space, without relinquishing the tension and risk that define his work.

Inspired by the rhythmic footwork of boxers, the movement language centres on the lower body. Light-footed jumps, powerful spins, and frantic shuffling reveal the surprising common ground between boxing and dance. Thus, Nimble seeks a balance between unison and disharmony, between individual rhythms and a shared pulse.