| Makers | Silvia Gribaudi |
| Part of | Holland Dance Festival |
Italian dancer and choreographer Silvia Gribaudi has achieved international acclaim, yet her presence in the Netherlands has been limited, with only one prior performance of Graces – after which Theaterkrant sighed about how unfortunate it was that more spectators were not able to experience this hilarious, sophisticated and meaningful work. Now, that chance is offered, as the award-winning Graces is one of the absolute gems in our nineteenth festival edition.
Together with three male graces, Gribaudi's choreography challenges ideas about human imperfection, doing so with passionate humor and empathy, delightfully nimble and far beyond the expected or the cliché. Festival director Samuel Wuersten comments, "At first, you think “this can't be true”, but soon you are swayed: without any embarrassment, Silvia takes everything and everyone and especially her own imperfections and those of her dancers to task."
"Awarded Italian Production of the Year 2019, Graces made us laugh first and then, leaving the theatre with a deeply personal question ‘what is beautiful and what does that mean to us?’ I’m sure many of us will reflect a lot after watching the cathartic work made by Silvia Gribaudi’ "
— Dance Art Journal
Inspired by Antonio Canova's famous marble sculpture The Three Graces (created between 1814 and 1817 as a representation of a universal standard of beauty and proportion), Gribaudi positions herself on stage, surrounded by three male dancers portraying the daughters of Zeus as depicted by Canova: Euphrosyne, Aglaea, and Thalia, symbolizing joy, elegance, and youth and beauty, respectively. Gribaudi, whether in the role of the artist or the clown, with her small, plump body and mischievous gaze, creates a stark contrast with the slim, trained bodies of the three ‘daughters’. Clad only in underwear and set to a diverse musical backdrop ranging from Vivaldi and Strauss to electronic and experimental compositions, the quartet explores all conceivable interpretations of the concept of grace. Simultaneously, they prompt contemplation about the essence of beauty and how it is often narrowly construed based on our human values and identity.
For almost two decades, Gribaudi's work has challenged gender stereotypes and the concept of virtuosity in the art of dance. She explores the social impact of the human body, with humor and the relationship between audience and performers as a central aspect in her productions. Recognized with numerous awards for her choreographies, Gribaudi was honored with the prestigious Premio DANZA&DANZA 2019 for the best Italian theatrical production for Graces.
From January 24 to February 17, 2024, the Netherlands will be immersed in international dance. For four weeks, the Holland Dance Festival, for the nineteenth time, opens a window to the world in The Hague, Delft, Tilburg, and Rotterdam.
Holland Dance Festival showcases the universal character and the enormous richness and versatility of dance. The festival aims for innovation without forgetting the history of dance. Dance icons take the spotlight, and leading choreographies find a place in the festival. But of course, dance art cannot thrive without 'new blood', and therefore the festival also provides a stage for emerging dancers and choreographers.
GRACES | Behind the scenes is a peek behind the scenes of the performance Graces, by Silvia Gribaudi.
It contains the echo of its own creative process, as well as of the relationship with the places and people that have hosted the company, and of the idea that everything, every single present moment can become a valuable part of the artistic structure.
Images from the show alternate with exclusive footage featuring Silvia Gribaudi, the performers, and Matteo Maffesanti, the director and author of the video. This is a journey that goes beyond the performance and talks about how the piece came to light and developed itself, the places it has touched so far and how much of them it has carried along.
More info & tickets: https://www.holland-dance.com/en/performances/behind-the-scenes
Korzo Zaal