Editorial

After South Korea in 2014 and Argentina in 2016, the Pays de Danses festival dedicates a part of its programming to South Africa, where art and activism go hand in hand. In their theatre pieces, Robyn Orlin, Mamela Nyamza, Gregory
Maqoma, the Via Katlehong Dance Company, as well as the choreographic chorus Phuphuma Love Minus redefine the place of identity, gender, religion, skin colour, tradition, and socio-political development in their country. The visual
illustrating our festival – the portrait of Miss D’vine, taken by the photographer Zanele Muholi – provides further evidence of the fierce activism that lives in post-apartheid South Africa.

Many artists, including the choreographer Bouchra Ouizguen and the Norwegian company Carte Blanche (Critic’s Award for best dance performance in Norway), the duo of creators François Chaignaud and Cecilia Bengolea, present for the first time in Liège, and the poetic Raimund Hoghe, offer us exclusive opportunities to open our eyes to all sorts of blending. Rich in events, this 2018 edition ensures the long-awaited return to the Liège stage of two major Belgians in the international artistic landscape. Indeed, Anna Teresa De Keersmaeker will do us the honour of dancing, while Jan Fabre will deliver an iconoclastic hymn to Belgium.

The festival is also positioned as ambassador for the bubbling choreographic creation of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. In this context, we invite you to discover the singular work of Fré Werbrouck in Murmurô and Olga de Soto in (Elle) retient, as well as three world premiere creations: 10.10 by Caroline Cornélis, Le Sourire des égarés by Karine Pontiès and How to proceed (working title) that Thomas Hauert is staging for the occasion of the 20th anniversary
of his company. Hip-hop and Liège krump are in the spotlight for two evenings. The youngest among us have an appointment with the Petit Pays de Danses, which offers them six performances addressing themes appropriate for all ages. In collaboration with the cultural centres of Chiroux, Chênée, Huy, Seraing, Engis, Verviers and the Cité Miroir, Pays de Danses innervates the Province of Liège, and is also exported to its Euro- regional partners of Eupen, Hasselt, and Maastricht.

With them, we hope that you will savour this programming which shakes up the outdated certainties, the “copy-andpaste” of good form, and other “take it from us.” The dancers and choreographers use dance as a tool to reflect on the world, humanity, individuality, sexuality, multiculturalism, fear, the future, sharing, love of the profession, as well as the joy and fury of living. When dance is the art of expressing everything through the body and being in motion. And without a word.

Serge Rangoni,
General Director

Pierre Thys,
Director of External Relations
In charge of dance programming

This 7th edition is part of Nelson Mandela’s centennial commemorations.