Woman and flesh, beauty and impermanence, raw and tender. An uncontrollable desire overwhelms the dancers. A desire for fulfillment, both physical and mental. They are torn between attractiveness, sensuality, lust, carnality, fame, success, reflection, control and stillness. Act on the urges or control them. Bodies in ecstasy.

These conflicts are typical of Ann Van den Broek’s work. Co(te)lette is an intimate piece for three female dancers caught in a vicious circle between desire and fulfillment. There is no confrontation, there is no rivalry, there is no narrative – no solution, no end. Co(te)lette is a restless and ultimately… empty portrait.

Once again, Ann Van den Broek works together with composer Arne Van Dongen to create a musical world that searches for parallels with the conflicts in the choreography. The electronically manipulated sounds of the musical palette include church organ, voice and ancient looms.

Co(te)lette won a Zwaan (Swan) for the most impressive dance production of the 2007/2008 season. The Swan Award is the most prestigious Dutch dance prize presented by the VSCD (Dutch Association of Theatre and Concert Hall Directors). Moreover the production was selected for the Nederlandse Dansdagen (Dutch Dance Festival) as one of the most important productions.

concept and choreography Ann Van den Broek
original cast Cecilia Moisio, Judit Ruiz Onandi, Theodossia Stathi
music Arne Van Dongen
music editing and mix Arne Van Dongen, Yves De Mey
lighting design Bernie van Velzen
styling costumes Ann Van den Broek
photography Maarten Vanden Abeele
premiere October 24, 2007, ccBerchem, Antwerp (BE)

Co(te)lette is produced by WArd/waRD (BE), co-produced by ccBerchem (Antwerp, BE) and Korzo productions (The Hague, NL), with financial Support of the Government of Flanders (BE) and the Department of Culture of the City of Antwerp (BE).

“A minimalist dance with a touch of theatricality, a style that is unique in today’s dance.”

– de Volkskrant (NL)

“I have seldom seen performers in a dance production lose themselves so completely in the action on stage. Shamelessly, with total abandon and emphatically out to provoke passionate reactions.”

– Het Finacieele Dagblad (NL)