After dark themes and extreme exuberant emotions in Ohm and Joy Enjoy Joy, Ann Van den Broek searches for a poise with The Balancing Act. Balance in body, in mind, in daily life and in her choreographic work.

As the Flemish choreographer highlighted deep emotions and dark theme’s that are very close to her, it is now time to search for rest in a balanced center. This search sways between extremes. Between melancholy and rage. Between love and loss. It’s almost falling, getting yourself together, and going on. The balance is so precarious that it seems elusive.

With The Balancing Act Ann Van den Broek again experiments with live video images and sound- and light effects. As we often see in her work, roles between dancer and musician fade. The performers manipulate sound, light and images with music pedals. Looking for the right volume, a good sharpness or a beautiful light in which life can be experienced. It creates a lively, installation-like setting along the boundaries of dance and performance.

For The Balancing Act Ann Van den Broek once more studied and researched the human body in great detail. The body as a scale. Everything working together. Every joint, every muscle. Just to not fall. Besides the physical balance, Van den Broek gets inspiration by our pursuit of a life in balance.

The Balancing Act is nominated by the VSCD (Association of Theater and Music Hall Directors) for a Zwaan (Swan) for the most impressive dance production, the most prestigious Dutch dance prize.

The jury on the performance: “The Balancing Act is an impressive addition to the imposing oeuvre of WArd/waRD. Dance, technology and the personal nature flow into each other in a mediatized search for the self. It is a powerful theme of our time, movingly depicted by the phenomenal performers.”

concept and choreography Ann Van den Broek
artistic assistance Gregory Frateur  
performers Louis Combeaud, Nik Rajšek, Jean-Gabriel Maury, Marion Bosetti, Carla Guerra, Kamil Pilarski, Isaiah Selleslaghs, Anthony van Gog
intern Julia van Rooijen, Steffi van Bokhoven
music Nicolas Rombouts 
text Ann Van den Boek, Gregory Frateur
video- and lighting design Bernie van Velzen 
concept scenography Ann Van den Broek
implementation scenography Jesse Sep van Aalderen, Bernie van Velzen, Dario Giustarini  
styling costumes Ann Van den Broek in collaboration with Marielle Vos
outside eye Marc Vanrunxt  
photography Rio Staelens, David Gallard
premiere October 4, 2023, Theater Rotterdam, Rotterdam (NL)

The Balancing Act by WArd/waRD is produced in partnership with Theater Rotterdam (NL) and Le Lieu Unique in Nantes (FR) and is financially supported by Fonds Podiumkunsten (NL), Volkskracht (NL), Ammodo (NL) and Gemeente Rotterdam (NL).

WArd/waRD

“The Balancing Act is an impressive addition to the imposing oeuvre of WArd/waRD.”

– Jury VCSD dance prizes (NL)

“The audience is ruthlessly dragged onto the emotional roller coaster of the dancers.”

– Het Parool (NL)

“How do you find your balance in a world of extremes? Choreographer Ann Van den Broek presents the search quite clearly.”

– de Volkskrant (NL)

“The Balancing Act is anything but a harmonious yoga session, but rather a compelling journey past extreme emotions.”

– NRC (NL)