JAN MARTENS & GRIP

In this show, six dancers interpret the music of twenty innovative composers and singers. In the words of Jan Martens: “I want to explore musical history and see whether I can showcase a number of unknown voices. This time I want to take the word “voice” quite literally. The musical score for this piece will be entirely made up of works in which the female voice plays a leading role”. VOICE NOISE is inspired by Anne Carson’s essay The Gender of Sound (1992), in which she describes how patriarchal culture has sought to silence women by ideologically associating their voices with monstrosity, disorder and death.

Belgian choreographer and dancer Jan Martens believes that any body can communicate and has something to say. With each new work he tries to reimagine the relationship between audience and performer. Martens followed his debut creation I Can Ride a Horse Whilst Juggling So Marry Me in 2010 with numerous solos, duets and group performances, going on to develop his first big stage production, Any Attempt Will End in Crushed Bodies and Shattered Bones, for 17 dancers, which he showcased at the Festival d’Avinyó and brought to the Mercat in 2022. Martens is an associate artist at DE SINGEL in Antwerp (Belgium), La Comédie de Clermont-Ferrand, scène nationale , Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, Maison de la Danse in Lyon and the Lyon Biennale de la Danse. The choreographic platform GRIP, founded by Jan Martens and business director Klaartje Oerlemans, produces and supports its own work.

Choreography Jan Martens / Co-creation and performance Elisha Mercelina, Steven Michel, Courtney May Robertson, Mamadou Wagué, Loeka Willems, Sue-Yeon Youn and/or Pierre Adrien Touret, Zora Westbroek / Music 20 music pieces sung by women; full list available on www.grip.house in March 2024 / Rehearsal director Zora Westbroek / Lighting design Jan Fedinger / Costume design Sofie Durnez / Scenography Joris van Oosterwijk / Realisation costumes and scenography Théâtre de Liège / Internship Malick Cissé / Artistic advice Marc Vanrunxt, Rudi Meulemans, Femke Gyselinck / Trailer and teasers Stanislav Dobák / Graphic design N Nick Mattan
Production GRIP / International distribution A Propic – Line Rousseau, Marion Gauvent, Lara van Lookeren / Coproduction La Comédie de Clermont-Ferrand, Maison de la Danse de Lyon, De Singel international arts center, Théâtre de Liège, Julidans Amsterdam, Le Manège – Scène Nationale de Reims, Romaeuropa festival, DDD – Festival Dias da Dança – Teatro Rivoli – Porto, Scène Nationale de Forbach, Charleroi danse – centre chorégraphique de Wallonie – Bruxelles, Festspielhaus St-Pölten, Tanzhaus nrw Düsseldorf, Théâtre de la Ville – Paris, Festival d’Automne à Paris, Équinoxe – Scène Nationale de Châteauroux, Theater Rotterdam, Perpodium / Residences La Comédie de Clermont-Ferrand (FR), DE SINGEL (Antwerp, BE), Charleroi danse – centre chorégraphique de Wallonie – Bruxelles (BE) / With the financial support of the Flemish Government, Tax Shelter of the Belgian Federal Government via BNPPFFF