Layers Of Skin
- Choreography: Filip Van Huffel
- Music composition: Joris Vanvinckenroye / Aranis
- Dramaturg: Marnix Rummens
- Dancers: Kristina Alleyne, Pauline De Laet, Erin Harty, Steven Martin, David Michel, Matthew Slater
- Musicians: Liesbeth Lambrecht: violin, Stijn Denys: guitar, Marjolein Cools: accordion, Pierre Chevalier: piano, David Kerman: drums and percussion, Joris Vanvinckenroye: double bass, Jana Arns: flutes
- Lighting Design: Andrew Hammond
Layers of Skin is a multilayered performance event with bold choreography by Belgian/English choreographer Filip Van Huffel and his Retina Dance Company with live music by Joris Vanvinckenroye and his acclaimed Belgian chamber rock ensemble Aranis.
Layers of Skin unites Retina’s skills in creating artistic touring productions as well as leading large-scale participatory projects. Retina has firmly established itself as a company that enables other dancers, either professional or community, to excel in process and performance. Artistic Director Filip Van Huffel has a unique ability to encourage individuals to move confidently and creatively and Layers of Skin maximises his strengths. Layers of Skin is a unique contemporary dance performance project that can exist in different formats and size. At its smallest it is a production for 6 professional Retina Company dancers with recorded music, and at the opposite end of the scale there are 6 Retina dancers, 6 professional dancers and 12 amateur dancers from the local area and live music from 7 musicians from the Flemish music ensemble Aranis, resulting in 31 people on stage. The premiere of this project took place in June 2011 during the 30-year celebration of Cultuurcentrum Berchem, Antwerp. The tour continues throughout Europe until autumn 2012, and every production is tailored to meet the needs of the booking venue.
photography: Chris Nash
Layers of Skin is a dynamic and constantly changing production that will take the audience on a journey of movement with power, sensitivity and versatility accompanied by exquisite music that lies between the finesse of classical music and the excitement of pop.
Layers of Skin starts from the idea of hiding. The three layers of our skin hide the bones, the organs, the muscles and nervous system of our body. It also hides who we are, the reality of our contents. The skin is the largest organ of our body and it wraps cerebral, physical and intuition into one package.
Layers of Skin unfolds in front of the audience. The external appearances are unwrapped as we discover the inner layers. Stripping away the surface, we discover the motivations for movement.
Layers of Skin is a multilayered sensory experience never to be forgotten!!!!!!
Layers of Skin performances are booked by DepArts Ltd
Retina is offering a unique opportunity for people to come and perform alongside them in Layers of Skin. If you are aged between 12 and 112, professional or community dancer, and are interested in exploring your creativity in movement, then make sure you receive our newsletters so that you are notified of the opportunities near you.
The premiere in Cultuurcentrum Berchem incorporated 8 professional dancers and 12 community dancers who joined the 6 Retina dancers and 7 Aranis musicians, resulting in an impressive and powerful 33 performers for 3 nights to full house audiences. The nightly standing ovations were responses to the impressive and overwhelming performance.
Collaborators
Aranis (composer Joris Vanvinckenroye) is a group that devotes its time to creating and performing new, adventurous music. The music is filled with contrasts and opposing themes. It's dark and light at the same time. It's beautiful and nasty, simple and complex. It has a personality of its own and nevertheless you can hear the influences from a multitude of different genres and styles. It is through the combination of these opposing themes and influences that emerges a contemporary and vibrant sort of music with a very unique character. The main characteristics of their performances are a delicate and dynamic orchestration in which they constantly search for a fresh and lively rendition. Aranis has released three full albums: Aranis I, Aranis II, Aranis III and Aranis IV! Next to that there have also been a vinyl album and a small side project CD (Hidden Soundscapes). This is the second collaboration with Joris. He performed his solo project Basta! for Retina’s 2009 production Antipode.
Promoter Information
In its simplest form Layers of Skin is a production for 6 Retina dancers and lasts 65 minutes. However with every booking we can discuss the desire for the participatory aspect of the project to exist, which incorporates a 1 or 2 week residency with local dancers, either professional or amateur from age 12 to 99. These residency participants will perform alongside Retina within the same production.
Music can be played live or recorded.
The booking promoter can choose the format that most suits their needs.
Photo images from Chris Nash are available.
Film footage for publicity will be available for venue websites.
For booking or more information contact the manager on
Layers of Skin is supported by Arts Council England, Cultuurcentrum Berchem, Stad Antwerpen, District Berchem, Nottingham City Council
AUTUMN 2011 TOUR SCHEDULE
Saturday 1 October, 8pm - Cultuurcentrum Sint Niklaas
Full performance including Retina, Aranis, local professional and community dancers
www.ccsint-niklaas.be
Sunday 9 October, 4pm - Body Dynamics Festival, Cultuurcentrum Berchem, Antwerp
An extract of Layers of Skin with six Retina dancers. The performance is a culmination of a festival for four talented community dance groups from Belgium and Holland, who will also be performing their own work.
www.danspunt.be
Wednesday 12 October, 6pm - Roehampton University, London
www.roehampton.ac.uk
Saturday 15 October, 7.30pm - The Riley Theatre, Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Leeds
www.nscd.ac.uk
Thursday 20 October, 7.45pm - The Brewhouse Theatre, Taunton
www.thebrewhouse.net
Friday 28 October, 7pm - Grimsby Institute, East Coast College of Art and Design, Grimsby
www.franklin.ac.uk
Sunday 13 November, 7pm - Dance Live Festival, The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen
Retina and local professional dancers
www.boxofficeaberdeen.com
Sunday 20 November - Rotherham Festival, Magna Science and Adventure CentreRetina and local community dancers
www.rotherhamculture.org
Thursday 24 November - The Rose Theatre, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk
www.edgehill.ac.uk
