Artistic Research and Talent Development at HUIS Conny Janssen Danst
On October 10th, Artists in Residence Filippo Buonamassa and choreographic duo Mats & Rebecca shared their artistic research during an intimate sharing at HUIS Conny Janssen Danst in Rotterdam. In the presence of the devoted community of HUIS Conny Janssen Danst, the artists offered an initial insight into their choreographic practices and the development of their artistic ideas.
Through its Artists in Residence programme, HUIS Conny Janssen Danst provides choreographers with the space to explore and create new work, deepen their movement practices and investigate new artistic possibilities. The sharing is an important part of this process: an opportunity to present a work in progress to an inquisitive audience.
Rather than presenting a finished result, the focus is on the creative process itself. Ideas, movement and revelations get to leave the studio for the first time, becoming part of an encounter between artists and an audience. Curiosity, experimentation and openness are at the heart of this approach.
After the presentations, the artists and audience came together for a conversation. There was room to ask questions, exchange thoughts and reflect on the presented work. The sharing therefore offered not only a platform for artistic research, but an opportunity for dialogue, to exchange and share different perspectives on the development of contemporary dance.
Mats & Rebecca — BASEGROUND
How can the character of a city be embodied? Starting from this question, choreographers Mats van Rossum and Rebecca Laufer began their residency at HUIS Conny Janssen Danst with BASEGROUND: a physical and choreographic exploration of Rotterdam’s many layers.
The city provided the starting point for their investigation into the relationship between location, identity and movement. From Rotterdam’s industrial character and post-war reconstruction to the creativity and playfulness that define the city, its different layers served as inspiration for the development of new choreographic material.
By translating observations of everyday life, architecture and the people of Rotterdam into movement, Mats & Rebecca explored how a city’s identity can be expressed through the body.
During the sharing, they offered an initial glimpse into the world that had emerged from this artistic research. The presentation was not an end, but a starting point for the further development of the duet.
The research has opened up new possibilities that we would love to develop further. […] We hope to return to the city one day with the completed duet and bring it back to the place that helped shape its foundations. - Mats & Rebecca
Filippo Buonamassa — Exploring the Body and Movement
What can a body communicate without words? Starting from this question, choreographer Filippo Buonamassa explored, during his residency and in collaboration with dancer Michele Simi, how movement can convey meaning and how personal experience can be translated into physical and dramaturgical material.
The body was the starting point for his artistic research: its possibilities, the transformations it can undergo, and the tension between control and its loss. Drawing on a personal experience, Filippo developed a dramaturgical structure in which different physical states coexist.
What takes place within us, and which aspects of that inner experience can actually be perceived by others? Through physical exploration, he investigated how personal experiences can be shared through the body without requiring a single, definitive interpretation.
During the sharing, the audience was invited to experience this research without being given a predetermined meaning. This created space for individual interpretation and personal responses, allowing the physical and dramaturgical layers of the work to resonate in different ways.
Creating Space for the Development of Contemporary Dance
The Artists in Residence sharings at HUIS Conny Janssen Danst offer insight into how choreographic research develops before a work reaches its final form. By providing artists with time, space and support, the program contributes to choreographers’ artistic development and the exploration of new perspectives within contemporary dance.
The encounters between the artists and an audience are a valuable part of this process. They create opportunities for reflection, encourage the exchange of ideas and connect artistic development with the cultural community surrounding HUIS Conny Janssen Danst in Rotterdam.
Through its Artists in Residence program, HUIS Conny Janssen Danst creates space for experimentation, artistic exploration and the continued development of choreographic talent. In doing so, the program contributes to a vibrant professional dance sector in which new ideas, movement languages and artistic perspectives can emerge. In spring 2027 HUIS Conny Janssen Danst offert room to two new Artists in Residence. Registration is open until December 7, 2026.