In HUIS Conny Janssen Danst Niek Wagenaar has grown into a familiar face: previously he worked in the studio as artist in residence on his duet Slipping Under and we regularly welcome him teaching our open classes (contemporary). On November 11, 12 and 13 the choreographer opens the doors of HUIS Conny Janssen Danst to a special experience: the three-day Nymphs Creative Intensive in which dancers are invited to step inside the heart of an artistic process.
Niek is currently creating new work for his company Nymphs. This intensive serves as a research project: he will be drawing inspiration from the early concepts of his upcoming creation ‘Until Dawn’ in which he explores themes around night-life extravaganza versus the sobriety of the morning after.
Unlike a regular workshop or class, the format of this intensive mirrors the rhythm and focus of an actual creation period — giving participants the chance to explore, dive deeper and grow within a process that usually unfolds behind closed doors.
The aim of the Nymphs Creative Intensive is development for everyone involved: by keeping the group of dancers small (up to 15 dancers), every participant receives space, attention and the chance to truly co-investigate movement and creation. To keep the group focused and balanced, participation is through application. Please note that this is not an audition, rather a way to ensure that the collective energy of the group supports the depth of the process. If the applications exceed available spots, Niek will make a careful selection.
During the intensive we will use our time to dive deeper into the movement language and creative methods I use during my creations. The days will consist of a collective improvisation-based warm-up exploring the fundamentals of the characteristic Nymphs movement language, followed by the creative research. We will be creating new phrases, exploring group compositions and working on performance skills. For the research, I will be drawing inspiration from the early concepts of my upcoming creation for my company Nymphs: ‘Until Dawn’. The piece explores themes around night-life extravaganza versus the sobriety of the morning after; like community, love, liberation, addiction, regret and ‘hangxiety’. Niek Wagenaar about the intensive