Theater Gasthuis and the research group Art Practice and Development have taken the initiative to invite ten young practitioners from theater, dance and music to interact intensively with this year’s Holland Festival – as if it was an academy.

Wittnessing the works of Jossi Wieler, Amir Reza Koohestani, Sasha Waltz and Akram Khan / Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui (and meeting these artists) An Academy will ask where theater responds to the intercultural developments of our time; if and how contemporary artistic productions desire to tell different stories; and what might happen if we embrace the political challenges of interculturalism, instead of neglecting them?

Or, as 2005 participant Hester van Hasselt stated: “What do we, young theatre makers, want of this festival, of this city? What can we achieve from our position as a parasite?” (published in Volume 5, 2006).

An Academy is guided by Erwin Jans, dramaturg of Toneelhuis in Antwerpen and writer of the book: Interculturele Intoxicaties.

Participants were:

Walter Bart (Amsterdam / Gent) co-founder and member of the Dutch actors collective Wunderbaum (former Jonghollandia) presently operating from the Belgium municipal theater company NTGent www.wunderbaum.nl
Neske Beks (Amsterdam) theatre maker, singer, writer creates her own performances, functions regulary as moderator and worked with a.o. Made in da Shade, Hesp Theatermakers and Wederzijds www.neskebeks.nl
Anne Karin ten Bosch (Rotterdam) scenographer with a.o. theatre company Dood Paard, Bonheur, Artemis / Floor Huygen, Onafhankelijk Toneel, Ro-theater, and Hans Hof Ensemble teaches and organizes public debates and encounters
Anneke Jansen (Amsterdam) freelance copywriter, editor, dramaturge and programmer, founder of the internetplatform Kiez21 and editor of the literary magazine Pampus coordinates the fringe programme TF2 of the Dutch theatre festival www.kiez21.org
Willemijn Lamp (Amsterdam) theatre screentest, cultural journalist, business manager of literary stage Perdu coordinates lectures and debates for both the Dutch theater festival and the festival Nieuwe Grond www.nieuwegrond.com
Nita Liem (Amsterdam) choreographer, artistic director of the urban dancetheatre company Don’t Hit Mama is dedicated to ‘art about metropolitan multicultural survival’ www.donthitmama.nl
Carina Molier (Amsterdam) independant theatre director collaborating for her large scale multi media performances with a.o. Nestheaters, Paradiso, Rotterdamse Schouwburg and Toneelgroep Amsterdam www.clifcam.comwww.org2012.com
Mayke Nas (Amsterdam) composer, her works have been commissioned by the ASKO Ensemble, Schönberg Ensemble, Slagwerkgroep Den Haag, Orkest de Volharding and the French ensemble Aleph composer-in-residence at the Nieuw Ensemble and programs contemporary music for various venues www.maykenas.nl
Chaouki El Ofir (Paris) sactor, director works from both The Netherlands and Paris performes with Waterhuis, Hakim, MAP and Onafhankelijk Toneel in Rotterdam and directed a.o. ‘Woyzeck’ and ‘Helsinki’, based on Brecht’s ‘Flüchtlingsgespräche’
Bram de Sutter (Amsterdam) dramaturg, writer since his study at DasArts he also works as theater maker collaborated as dramaturg with Het Zuidelijk Toneel, de Roovers and Toneelgroep Amsterdam (with Ivo van Hove)
Marion Tränkle (Amsterdam) architect, choreographer
creates performances and designs interactive installations currently artistic researcher associated with the research group Art Practice and Development

Performances by Jossi Wieler, An van Dienderen, Amir Reza Koohestani and company, Sasha Waltz & Guests, Andreas Regelsberger, Nezha Haffou, Akram Khan / Sidi Labi Cherkaouir.

An Academy 2005 - Holland Festival
An Academy 2007 - Kunstenfestivaldesarts
An Academy 2007 - IDFA
We Live Here 2011