A choreographer of the highest European standard.
Hans Van den Broeck’s aim is to create multidisciplinary performances and video projects, looking for the fractures in society and life. January 2018, his play Motherdog premieres at the City Theatre in Gothenburg.
Above, from left: Hans Van den Broeck instructs Su-Mi Jang (dancer), Lisa Lindgren (actress), Johan Gry (actor) and the rest of the ensemble performing in Motherdog.
Hans Van den Broeck was born in Belgium. After graduating in Psychology at the University of Leuven (B), Hans Van den Broeck continued his studies in Film at the City University of New York. Upon his return to Belgium, he danced in several performances by Alain Platel and became a choreographer of the collective, les ballets C de la B, which he also co-founded. Within this company, Hans Van den Broeck directed several internationally-touring pieces: ‘How to approach a dog’ (1992), ‘Everyman’ (1994), ‘(They Feed, We) Eat, Eat, Eat’ (1996), ‘Au progrès’ (1998), ‘La Sortie’ (1999), ‘Induced Sleep’ (2000), ‘Lac des Singes’ (2001)
Les Ballets C de la B became very successful and unfolded into a large company structure, solidifying its position in the dance world with notable characteristics. After twelve years Hans Van den Broeck left the acclaimed company in order to return to the grassroots of his independent work. He established his own company by the name SOIT, standing for STAY ONLY IF TEMPORARY. Since the birth of SOIT and with the same uncompromising authenticity, he has continued to work consistently, further developing his distinctive, daring voice. With SOIT he has created four major productions (‘Almost Dark’ (2004), ‘En Servicio’ (2006), ‘We Was Them’ (2009), ‘Messiah Run!’ (2012) and many other projects (‘Deed of Arrangement’ (2003), ‘Durchgang’ (2005), ‘Café Prückel’ (2010))…
Hans Van den Broeck’s work is rough, visceral, uncompromising, committed, suggestive, poetical, visual and cinematic. Besides from videos, he often creates drawings in his artistic processes.
Sketch by Hans Van den Broeck.This sketch was made in an early state
of the creation of the play, then used as a reminder of the essence of Motherdog.
Alongside his dance productions, Hans Van den Broeck has also created film projects. He directed several semi-fiction videos, such as: ‘Eyes on the back’ (1998), ‘Ways of watching’ (1998), ‘Odeur de Sainteté’ (2003), ‘Alivetoo’ (2008) and ‘Homeland’ (2011). ‘Our Circumscribed Days’ (2000), a rhythmical portrait on Moscow, won the ‘Prix du Jury’ at the ‘Entrainements # 4’ festival in Paris in 2003.
As a response to the need and interest in workshops, Hans Van den Broeck has turned his workshops into an artistic activity, with the concept of ‘workshows’: rather than a pedagogically driven approach, these workshops focus on collaborative constructions and exploratory processes. The workshops usually work towards a public showing, in a professional setting. ‘Settlement’ is a trilogy including ‘Nomads’ and ‘Homeland’ (2007-2011). The most recent ‘Settlement’ took place in Los Angeles in March-April 2014.
Above: Hans Van den Broeck in front of actors in Motherdog. Photo: Jonas Kündig.
Below: Drawings by Hans Van den Broeck.
