'Redundant.' Or more bluntly, "Irritating noise. This is how the female voice was often considered from ancient Greek times to today.
VOICE NOISE is inspired by Anne Carson's essay "The Gender of Sound" (1992) in which she exposes how patriarchal culture has sought to silence women by ideologically associating female sound with monstrosity, disorder and death. In VOICE NOISE, some innovative, unknown and/or forgotten female voices from the past hundred years of music history are given a stage. With this, Jan Martens takes the next step in his efforts to shape an alternative canon.
Six dancers confront recordings in which the human voice can be heard in various guises: humming, soothing, shrieking, whispering, singing. Gradually they discover their own voice. Having worked with large groups in his recent productions - any attempt will end in crushed bodies and shattered bones and FUTUR PROCHE - Jan Martens returns to a production for a small ensemble of six dancers. He works with some dancers who have inspired him before (Steven Michel, Courtney May Robertson and Loeka Willems) and invites new faces (Sue- Yeon Youn, Elisha Mercelina and Mamadou Wagué).
Jan Martens' obsession with numbers, geometry and patterns meets the unique physical languages of his performers, leading to a rediscovered interest in dance itself: in detail and subtlety, in redefining grace and elegance. (SEE ORIGINAL TEXT)
UP-COMING PERFORMANCE DATES
19.11.24 - Théâtre de la Ville / Festival d’Automne, Paris (FR)
20.11.24 - Théâtre de la Ville / Festival d’Automne, Paris (FR)
21.11.24 - Théâtre de la Ville / Festival d’Automne, Paris (FR)
22.11.24 - Théâtre de la Ville / Festival d’Automne, Paris (FR)
23.11.24 - Théâtre de la Ville / Festival d’Automne, Paris (FR)
11.12.24 - December Dance, Concertgebouw, Bruges (BE)
14.12.24 - CC Leietheater, Deinze (BE)
05.02.25 - Le Maillon, Strasbourg (FR)
06.02.25 - Le Maillon, Strasbourg (FR)
07.02.25 - Le Maillon, Strasbourg (FR)
27.02.25 - La Halle aux Grains, Blois (FR)
06.03.25 - Le Manège, Reims (FR)
07.03.25 - Le Manège, Reims (FR)
28.03.25 - Théâtre de Liège (BE)
29.03.25 - Théâtre de Liège (BE)
03.04.25 - De Warande, Turnhout (BE) 
26.04.25 - Festspielhaus St. Pölten (AT)
06.05.25 - Le Parvis Scène Nationale Tarbes-Pyrénées, Tarbes (FR)
27.05.25 - 30cc / STUK, Leuven (BE)
28.05.25 - 30cc / STUK, Leuven (BE)
11.06.25 - De Factorij / Periferik / Kaaitheater, Zaventem (BE)

PAST PERFORMANCE DATES
06.11.24 - Theater Rotterdam (NL)
19.10.24 - Mercat de les Flors, Barcelona (ES)
18.10.24 - Mercat de les Flors, Barcelona (ES)
17.10.24 - Mercat de les Flors, Barcelona (ES)
13.10.24 - Romaeuropa Festival, Rome (IT)
12.10.24 - Romaeuropa Festival, Rome (IT)
28.09.24 - Charleroi Danse, Les Écuries, Charleroi (BE)
26.09.24 - Charleroi Danse, La Raffineri, Brussels (BE)
25.09.24 - Charleroi Danse, La Raffineri, Brussels (BE)
24.09.24 - Charleroi Danse, La Raffineri, Brussels (BE)
07.08.24 - Theaterfestival Boulevard, 's-Hertogenbosch (NL)
08.08.24Theaterfestival Boulevard,
's-Hertogenbosch (NL)

09.07.24 - Julidans Amsterdam (NL)
08.07.24 - Julidans Amsterdam (NL)
15.06.24 - Tanzhaus Nrw, Dusseldorf (DE)
14.06.24 - Tanzhaus Nrw, Dusseldorf (DE)
04.05.24 - Theatro Central, Seville (ES) 
03.05.24 - Theatro Central, Seville (ES)  
30.04.24 -
VDDD / Teatro Rivoli, Porto (PT)
 
29.04.24 - DDD / Teatro Rivoli, Porto (PT)
20.04.24 - Dansens Hus, Oslo (NO)
19.04.24 - Dansens Hus, Oslo (NO)
04.04.24 - La Comédie de Valence, Valence (FR)
03.04.24 - La Comédie de Valence, Valence (FR)
29.03.24 - Maison de la Danse, Lyon (FR) 
28.03.24 - Maison de la Danse, Lyon (FR) 
27.03.24 - Maison de la Danse, Lyon (FR) 
23.03.24 - De Singel, Antwerp (BE) 
22.03.24 - De Singel, Antwerp (BE) 
21.03.24 - De Singel, Antwerp (BE) - world premiere
08.03.24 - La Comédie de Clermont-Ferrand Scène Nationale (FR) 
07.03.24 - La Comédie de Clermont-Ferrand Scène Nationale (FR)
CREDITS
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: FULL LIST HERE
REPETITOR: Zora Westbroek, Naomi Gibson
LIGHTING DESIGN: Jan Fedinger
COSTUME DESIGNER: Sofie Durnez
SCENOGRAPHY: Joris van Oosterwijk
SOUND TECHNOLOGY: Vincent Philippart, Valentijn Weyn, Jo Heijens
VOICE COACHING: Ine Claes, Maxime Montjotin
EXECUTION COSTUME AND SCENOGRAPHY: Théâtre de Liège
STAGE: Malick Cissé, Sien Wils
ARTISTIC ADVICE: Marc Vanrunxt, Rudi Meulemans and Femke Gyselinck
TOUR TECH TEAM: Elke Verachtert, Valentijn Weyn, Vincent Philippart
PRODUCTION GRIP: Anneleen Hermans, Rudi Meulemans, Lize Meynaerts, Klaartje Oerlemans, Jennifer Piasecki, Sylvie Svanberg, Ruud Van Moorleghem, Nele Verreyken
INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION: A Propic - Line Rousseau, Marion Gauvent, Lara van Lookeren
COPRODUCTION: La Comédie de Clermont-Ferrand, Maison de la danse de Lyon - Pôle européen de production, 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 - center 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
RESIDENTS La Comédie de Clermont-Ferrand (FR), DE SINGEL (Antwerp, BE), Charleroi danse - center chorégraphique de Wallonie - Bruxelles (BE) WITH THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT of the Flemish Government, the Tax Shelter of the Belgian Federal Government through BNPPFFF

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