Project D - Public Space | Equilibrium at De Zandwacht by Marjolijn Breuring

This project explores the transformative relationship between the human body, its emotional landscape, and the environment through site-specific choreography. The concept centers around the theme of releasing ingrained patterns and embracing vulnerability, inspired by the metaphor of "letting go" to find healthier ways of navigating discomfort and tension. Set against the striking backdrop of De Zandwacht, an architectural sculpture symbolizing transience and resilience, the choreography invited dancers to engage somatically with their surroundings. Through breathwork, weight shifts, and embodied improvisation, they responded to the structure, the landscape, and each other, creating movement that reflected themes of connection, resistance, and transformation. The goal of the project was to investigate how dance can serve as a bridge between inner struggles and external environments, fostering deeper awareness for performers and audiences alike. The outcomes included a layered, evocative performance that highlighted the interplay between natural and man-made worlds, leaving audiences with lasting impressions of human fragility and strength.

References

Butterworth, J., & Wildschut, L. (Eds.). (2009). Contemporary choreography: A critical reader. Chapter 12: Too many cooks? A framework for dance making and devising. Routledge. 366-368, 383.

Hersey, P., & Blanchard, K. H. (1988). Management of Organizational Behavior: Utilizing Human Resources (5^th ed.). Prentice Hall. 169-170.

Lefebvre, H. (1991). The production of space (1st ed.). Blackwell. 26, 171.

Smith-Autard, J. M. (1992). Dance Composition: A practical guide to creative success in dance making (2nd ed.). A & C Black. 59-61.

Van der Kolk, B. A. (2015). The body keeps the score: Mind, brain and body in the transformation of trauma. Penguin Books. 21.

Online sources

Van de Camp, G. (2015, October 21). Kunstwerk De Zandwacht, Maasvlakte. Originally published on Construsoft BIM Awards. Retrieved January 8, 2025, from https://architectenweb.nl/nieuws/artikel.aspx?id=37741

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