Black. Reassuring, encompassing, safe and intimate. This black is pregnant with movement, full and empty at the same time. Powerful, layered. Bodies in chaos. Bodies in fantasy.
In The Black Piece Ann Van den Broek takes audiences on a choreographic quest to find that other black. The black that constantly attracts, demands attention, is intriguing and makes a lasting impression. A group of dancers and a cameraman take spectators into the darkness. The camera divulges and unveils what would otherwise remain unseen and unheard. But at the same time The Black Piece makes you question what you see and makes you ask yourself if what you see is real.
Images, lighting, movement, sounds, the soundscape of Arne Van Dongen, the voice of singer Gregory Frateur (Dez Mona), they all heighten the senses in The Black Piece and subvert expectations.
The Black Piece is the winner of the Dioraphte Dance Award and of the Zwaan (Swan) for the most impressive dance production of the 2014/2015 season. The Swan Award is the most prestigious Dutch dance prize presented by the Dutch Association of Theatre and Concert Hall Directors. Andreas Kuck was nominated for a Zwaan (Swan) for the most impressive achievement in dance for his contribution to the production. Moreover the production was also selected for De Nederlandse Dansdagen (Dutch Dance Festival) as one of the most important productions.
concept and choreography Ann Van den Broek
original cast Louis Combeaud, Jan Deboom, Andreas Kuck, Frauke Mariën, Francesca Monti and others
live camera/lighting design Bernie van Velzen
music Arne Van Dongen
vocal performance Gregory Frateur, recorded by Nicolas Rombouts (aka Dez Mona)
set design Ann Van den Broek, Bernie van Velzen
styling Ann Van den Broek
advice Marc Vanrunxt
photography Maarten Vanden Abeele
premiere September 19, 2014, Korzo theater, The Hague (NL)
The Black Piece is a co-production of WArd/waRD (NL/BE), Korzo Producties (The Hague, NL) and ccBerchem (Antwerp, B). With financial support from the Fonds Podiumkunsten (NL) and the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds (NL).
WArd/waRD
| Date | City | Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Oct 2020 | The Black Piece | Shanghai (CN), 1862 Theater – cancelled | |
| 23 Oct 2020 | The Black Piece | Shanghai (CN), 1862 Theater – cancelled | |
| 18 Oct 2020 | The Black Piece | Seoul (KR), SiDance Festival – cancelled | |
| 24 Mar 2019 | The Black Piece | Budapest (HU), Trafo | |
| 23 Mar 2019 | The Black Piece | Budapest (HU), Trafo | |
| 08 Nov 2018 | The Black Piece | Vancouver (CA), The Dance Center | |
| 07 Nov 2018 | The Black Piece | Vancouver (CA), The Dance Center | |
| 06 Nov 2018 | The Black Piece | Vancouver (CA), The Dance Center | |
| 02 Nov 2018 | The Black Piece | Quebec (CA), La Rotonde | |
| 01 Nov 2018 | The Black Piece | Quebec (CA), La Rotonde | |
| 27 Oct 2018 | The Black Piece | Gaspé (CA), Théâtre de Gaspé | |
| 22 Aug 2017 | The Black Piece | Brussel (BE), Les Brigittines | |
| 21 Aug 2017 | The Black Piece | Brussel (BE), Les Brigittines | |
| 07 Jul 2017 | The Black Piece | Bergen op Zoom (NL), Schouwburg De Maagd – excerpt | |
| 26 Jun 2017 | The Black Piece | Vemetië (IT), La Biennale di Venezia | |
| 11 Mar 2017 | The Black Piece | Parijs (FR), Théâtre de la Cité | |
| 10 Mar 2017 | The Black Piece | Parijs (FR), Théâtre de la Cité | |
| 09 Mar 2017 | The Black Piece | Parijs (FR), Théâtre de la Cité | |
| 06 Nov 2016 | The Black Piece | Rome (IT), Roma Europa | |
| 05 Nov 2016 | The Black Piece | Rome (IT), Roma Europa | |
| 27 Oct 2016 | The Black Piece | Assen (NL), Theater De Nieuwe Kolk | |
| 15 Oct 2016 | The Black Piece | Amsterdam (NL), Theater de Meervaart | |
| 13 Oct 2016 | The Black Piece | Almere (NL), Corrosia Theater, Film & Expo | |
| 06 Oct 2016 | The Black Piece | Rotterdam (NL), Rotterdamse Schouwburg | |
| 17 Sep 2016 | The Black Piece | Antwerpen (BE), Brilschanspark | |
| 10 Sep 2016 | The Black Piece | Hannover (DE), TANZtheater | |
| 17 Jun 2016 | The Black Piece | Praag (CZ), Tanec Praha Festival / Ponec | |
| 16 Jun 2016 | The Black Piece | Praag (CZ), Tanec Praha Festival / Ponec | |
| 28 May 2016 | The Black Piece | Montreal (CA), Festival Transamériques | |
| 27 May 2016 | The Black Piece | Montreal (CA), Festival Transamériques | |
| 20 May 2016 | The Black Piece | Krakau (PL), Kroki Festival | |
| 09 May 2016 | The Black Piece | Vilnius (LT), Vilnius Festival | |
| 23 Apr 2016 | The Black Piece | Beveren (BE), CC Ter Vesten | |
| 22 Apr 2016 | The Black Piece | Purmerend (NL), Theater De Verbeelding | |
| 13 Apr 2016 | The Black Piece | Amsterdam (NL), Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam | |
| 05 Apr 2016 | The Black Piece | Antwerpen (BE), DE Studio | |
| 02 Apr 2016 | The Black Piece | Den Haag (NL), Korzo | |
| 09 Mar 2016 | The Black Piece | Geel (BE), CC De Werft | |
| 12 Feb 2016 | The Black Piece | Lausanne (CH), Festival Printemps de Sévelin | |
| 11 Feb 2016 | The Black Piece | Lausanne (CH), Festival Printemps de Sévelin | |
| 03 Feb 2016 | The Black Piece | Haarlem (NL), Toneelschuur | |
| 27 Jan 2016 | The Black Piece | Leeuwarden (NL), Stadsschouwburg De Harmonie | |
| 21 Nov 2015 | The Black Piece | Nijmegen (NL), LUX | |
| 20 Nov 2015 | The Black Piece | Leiden (NL), Theater Ins Blau | |
| 02 Oct 2015 | The Black Piece | Maastricht (NL), Nederlandse Dansdagen | |
| 22 Sep 2015 | The Black Piece | Heerlen (NL), Parkstad Limburg Theaters | |
| 11 Sep 2015 | The Black Piece | Utrecht (NL), Theater Kikker | |
| 29 Aug 2015 | The Black Piece | Amsterdam (NL), Uitmarkt | |
| 22 Aug 2015 | The Black Piece | Biddinghuizen (NL), Lowlands | |
| 01 Aug 2015 | The Black Piece | Antwerpen (BE), M HKA | |
| 02 Jul 2015 | The Black Piece | Londen (UK), The Barbican | |
| 06 May 2015 | The Black Piece | Parijs (FR), Theatre de Montreuil | |
| 05 May 2015 | The Black Piece | Parijs (FR), Theatre de Montreuil | |
| 23 Apr 2015 | The Black Piece | Breda (NL), Chassé Theater | |
| 06 Mar 2015 | The Black Piece | Rotterdam (NL), Rotterdamse Schouwburg | |
| 08 Feb 2015 | The Black Piece | Rotterdam (NL), Lantaren/Venster | |
| 06 Feb 2015 | The Black Piece | Antwerpen (BE), Bourlaschouwburg | |
| 05 Feb 2015 | The Black Piece | Tilburg (NL), De Nieuwe Vorst | |
| 04 Feb 2015 | The Black Piece | Amsterdam (NL), Theater Bellevue | |
| 03 Feb 2015 | The Black Piece | Amsterdam (NL), Theater Bellevue | |
| 22 Jan 2015 | The Black Piece | Eindhoven (NL), Natlab door Plaza Futura | |
| 20 Jan 2015 | The Black Piece | Drachten (NL), Schouwburg De Lawei | |
| 15 Jan 2015 | The Black Piece | Zwolle (NL), Odeon De Spiegel | |
| 09 Dec 2014 | The Black Piece | Helmond (NL), Theater ‘t Speelhuis | |
| 29 Nov 2014 | The Black Piece | Den Bosch (NL), Verkadefabriek | |
| 22 Nov 2014 | The Black Piece | Arnhem (NL), Schouwburg Arnhem | |
| 03 Nov 2014 | The Black Piece | Amsterdam (NL), Theater Bellevue | |
| 14 Oct 2014 | The Black Piece | Haarlem (NL), Toneelschuur | |
| 10 Oct 2014 | The Black Piece | Utrecht (NL), Theater Kikker | |
| 09 Oct 2014 | The Black Piece | Utrecht (NL), Theater Kikker | |
| 08 Oct 2014 | The Black Piece | Groningen (NL), Grand Theatre | |
| 23 Sep 2014 | The Black Piece | Amsterdam (NL), Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam | |
| 20 Sep 2014 | The Black Piece | Den Haag (NL), Korzo | |
| 19 Sep 2014 | The Black Piece | Den Haag (NL), Korzo – première NL | |
| 18 Sep 2014 | The Black Piece | Den Haag (NL), Korzo – try-out | |
| 17 Sep 2014 | The Black Piece | Den Haag (NL), Korzo – try-out | |
| 16 Aug 2014 | The Black Piece | Venlo (NL), Museum Van Bommel Van Dam | |
| 14 Jun 2014 | The Black Piece | Antwerpen (BE), ccBerchem – première BE | |
| 13 Jun 2014 | The Black Piece | Antwerpen (BE), ccBerchem – try-out | |
| 12 Jun 2014 | The Black Piece | Antwerpen (BE), ccBerchem – try-out | |
| 18 May 2014 | The Black Piece | Antwerpen (BE), ccBerchem – preview | |
| 07 May 2014 | The Black Piece | Den Haag (NL), Korzo studio – preview | |
| 30 Apr 2014 | The Black Piece | Den Haag (NL), Korzo studio – preview | |
| 28 Mar 2014 | The Black Piece | Den Haag (NL), Korzo studio – preview | |
| 20 Mar 2014 | The Black Piece | Den Haag (NL), Korzo studio – preview |
“The Black Piece is like a dream filled with meanings that cannot be explained. It is already a highlight of the season.”
– NRC Handelsblad (NL)
“Ann Van den Broek uses pinpoints of light to make visible the tatters of five tormented lives. The chain of associations and emotions that this evokes lends an incredible depth. You want to follow everything, even that which you cannot see.”
– Jury VCSD dance prizes (NL)
“The way Van den Broek forces air between all the layers and creates an overall feeling of freedom is stunning.”
– Trouw (NL)
“Van den Broek displays the kind of sweltering and fierce movements her dance idiom includes.”
– de Volkskrant (NL)