Crossings 2024

Participants move together during a dance workshop in a historic church interior.

Participants walk in a line during a movement exercise in a dance workshop.

After a successful first edition of last year’s special project Crossings, the first week of June was again dedicated to meeting up and connecting with each other. 25 young participants from all over the world working intensively together to create a performance with the Grote Kerk in Veere as their backdrop.

Among the participants; students of MBO Dans Zuid West, residents of the AZC Middelburg and last year’s participants.

For this edition of Crossings, NDT and OFFprojects joined forces. How do you connect as human beings? What do you need to trust each other? How do you work together if you don’t know each other, don’t speak each other’s language?

Under the guidance of Linda van Dijk, Amos Ben Tal and Yvan Dubreuil, the dancers explored these themes. With dedication, purity and honesty, they entered into the creative process resulting in a moving performance.

Crossings is a collaboration of NDT, stichting de Vrolijkheid and Grote Kerk Veere.

“It was so beautiful and educational. Dancing really brings connection and I enjoyed the beautiful people and the wonderful project a lot.”

Febe Snoep, participant 'Crossings'

Group participants create a collective composition around a central performer during a workshop.

“The Crossings project was a special experience for me. Before we got to Zeeland I was not sure what to expect, there were so many unknown facets; different backgrounds, different languages, different levels of experience and relationship to dance. In the end what struck me the most was how well the group worked together. The residents of the AZC and the dance students took the work very seriously, trusted each other and were open to try anything. It was such a pleasure for the creative team to observe this because it allowed us to let the participants take ownership of the choreography. They made a lot of the parts themselves and we just facilitated their process and helped them put it together. I think this made the experience more powerful for everyone, including the audience.”

Amos Bent -Tal, choreographer ‘Crossings’

“Since I took part in this project last year, I was curious what it would bring me this year. I love dancing. I have met new people, walked new traces, learned new things about dance and captured beautiful new memories. This year it felt very different. To touch people’s emotions without using words.

Someone came to me and asked me if I was a dancer. ‘Your moves deeply impressed me’. I didn’t know what to say.”

Mo Mollakulee, participant ‘Crossings’