The dance industry is not doing very well at all, people say. I spoke to a dance marketer who told me that venues are often only a quarter full. And that includes dance makers who have a Oscar for dance have won. What does attract a lot of audiences are fairy tales. And Isabelle Beernaert.
What explains the success of this Belgian choreographer?
Speed and variety
In her new show Red, Yellow & Blue, as on TV, speed and variety prevail. An in-your-face film by Rachid Pardo sketches an inhumanly crowded world where injustice reigns. Then, until the end, with the shuffle button on and the accelerator pedal pressed, a variety of short dance clips follow. That says something about the viewer anno 2013. They want to be continuously fed with impressions.
Understandable language
The choreographer told me after the performance that she has the song lyrics, or the emotion behind them, followed or even portrayed by her dancers. This is an innovation. Ten or 20 years ago, it was unthinkable to build a professional dance performance to popular music. Now it is the way to connect directly with the audience.
[Tweet "Pop music is the way to connect with dance audiences"]Beernaert's source of inspiration - alongside Alvin Ailey and Jiří Kylián - is Maurice Béjart. The latter was able to forge all kinds of impressions together, used fantastic dancers and saw possibilities with which dance could become mainstream. For her part, Beernaert provides space for classical grand allegroes by Johan Christensen, gravity-defying tumblings by Remses Rafaela, supple breakdance by Patrick Karijowidjojo or Redouan Hergelink and suave moves by Mo Moare. Alongside power women Sarah M'Peti and Natascha Dejong. A sort of competition without competition.
Catchy movement
In response to the violent film with which the show opens, Beernaert introduces love. With the primary colours red, yellow and blue, she assembles emotional impressions around love couple Thomas van der Linden and Els Smeekens (winner SYTYCD 2009). Smeekens throws herself into the duets in a way that inspires you to move like this yourself, even if it is too high. But this is what we came for.
A well-oiled household
Beernaert has to run a family with three children, but also has to take care of the 24 dancers, who always work for her only temporarily. Like a national coach, she does not have the luxury of working with the same people day in and day out. That is why the dancers moved into a house together for a period of time. This way, they work as a collective, enjoy being on stage and keep each other on their toes.
So You Think You Can Dance
Remarkably, the Beernaert audience is not the 14-year-olds you would expect with her reputation from SYTYCD, but cultural-looking adults. So they also want dance with feeling, accessible music and well-known dancers. It will be for this reason that Beernaert is this year's Dance Audience Award won. Not directly highbrow.
But an acknowledgement.
English (UK) 
Nederlands 
Français 
