A poetic meeting of strength and softness: choreographer Sheree Lenting explores brotherhood, vulnerability and resilience set against the echoes of colonial history. She weaves movement, music and text into a landscape of rituals, memories and unspoken connections. In SONS OF THE SOIL two young men take us on a journey into adulthood. Rather than explaining masculinity from within, the work invites us to witness its complexity, beauty and layered nature.
For the thirteenth edition of Conny Janssen Danst’s annual talent development project DANSLOKAAL, Sheree created SONS OF THE SOIL. As part of this project, talented makers are invited to develop new work with the dancers of the Rotterdam-based company. When Dansateliers (one of the creative partners in DANSLOKAAL) selected Sheree, she created this duet with dancers Yashasvi Shrotriya and Gaspar Ribeiro.
‘The standout of the evening was Sons of the Soil by Sheree Lenting (Dansateliers). I read the program booklet after the performance and immediately thought: look, a performance that seamlessly delivers on its promise.’ Theaterkrant
‘Sheree Lenting, a Surinamese Rotterdammer, delves into male resilience that grows during a fraternal fight and through the pressure of a colonial past. Gaspar Ribeiro and Yashasvi Shrotriya navigate between boyish playfulness (on skateboards) and adult responsibility. As fiercely as they challenge each other by swinging their bodies over their hips, they rely just as energetically on one another and the (in)flexibility sung by a heartfelt voice-over: Keep your head up, always.’ de Volkskrant
Sheree Lenting is a Rotterdam-based dance artist, with Surinamese roots, at the Intersection of Art and Social Change. Her work seamlessly blends movement, film and storytelling, drawing on her experiences as a black woman. Sheree creates art that is both thought-provoking and socially relevant, providing a powerful mirror of our times. Her mission? To uplift, empower and inspire people to change.
With a BA in Dance & Education from the Amsterdam University of Arts, Sheree has refined her craft through international collaborations and intensive training at the Ecole des Sables in Senegal, under the guidance of renowned teachers. She has developed workshops and programmes for young people and various communities for and with organisations such as Move Forward Foundation and the HipHopHouse. Her dedication to social justice even took her to South Africa, where she choreographed for various projects and festivals.
Sheree’s innovative approach to dance has been awarded multiple grants and prizes. Her short film, SHE – The Black Female Body, garnered critical acclaim at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. In May 2024, she received the prestigious BNG Bank Dance Award for her interdisciplinary work ‘I Am My Ancestors’ Wildest Dream’. Since September 2023, Sheree also works as Dance and Community programmer at Theatre Rotterdam.