13 REASONS (...to sing)

The Folkwang Tanzstudio is proud to have won choreographer and dancer Michèle Anne De Mey and her brother, composer and filmmaker Thierry De Mey, as guest choreographers for its latest production.

Trained by Maurice Béjart, Michèle Anne De Mey worked as a dancer for Anne Teresa de Keersmaker for several years. Both choreographers have left traces in her motion language. In her own choreographies, Michèle Anne De Mey has developed a highly individual style of her own. Minimalism and precise performance are the hallmarks of her choreographies, coupled with energy, generosity and gaiety.

Composer and filmmaker Thierry De Mey realises his own acclaimed music projects, co-founded various music groups, and is the director and composer of a number of international award-winning dance films. He is a long-term collaborator of, among others, Belgian choreographers Anne Teresa de Keersmaker and Wim Vandekybus, and will work with American choreographer William Forsythe next.

The brother’s and sister’s working method for “13 REASONS (…to sing)” is unusual: First they each separately develop motion material with the company. Michèle Anne De Mey focuses primarily on the dancers’ personalities. They provide a source for highly individual and emotional movement sequences. Thierry De Mey chooses a conceptual approach in his work, which is marked by its clear structures. He subjects the motion material to constant changes, comparable to the principle of variation in music

This is the material the brother and sister draw on to compose the final choreography. Powerful dynamics are coupled with minimalist precision. The dancers conquer the stage with expansive movements, accompanied by Thierry De Mey’s music and video projections. Emotion and cool variations contrast and complement each other. Solos, duets and smaller formations alternate with ensemble scenes: bursting with energy, full of motion, dance-like and brilliant.