This year is a special one for the Brigittines International Festival, since it coincides with Brussels Dance Festival and exchanges of the guards: from the former to the future directors of Les Brigittines: Patrick Bonte has been passing the torch to Charles Vairet!
Uniquely this year both directors are on the spot, operational and present during each performance at Les Brigittines! They both are happy to share their impressions for the entire 2 weeks from the 15th untill the 30th of August, including the Festival Closing Party on the 30th, which is an annual sensorium festival anyway! Everyone is welcome to attend it until the last visitor!
© Brigittines International Festival
The first time I visited this Dance Festival was about 15 years ago or even early and was very impressed by the overall highest possible quality of the performances and the selection of the performing groups with the topics selected! It was totally francophone! Nowadays it’s entirely International, which is in the name of it and heavily subsidized by the Flemish community of Belgium with the European focus and multifaceted themas! Socially responsible and engaging for sure!
I remember three years ago Panzetti/Ticconi & Studio Contemporary Dance Company showed ARA! performance and this year they are again with their ALL’ARME performance, pursuing their investigation into the representation of power and inviting us to contemplate the fears lurking within ourselves! And each and every performance on the stage of Les Brigittines breathes purpose into it and see it as a springboard for the boundless flight of imagination!
© Brigittines International Festival
And the imagination and the ambition of the new director, Charles Vairet also to invite for the next edition of the Festival groups with political engagements as well! Let them express what’s happening in the world via movements! Because Les Brigittines now is a “Playhouse for movements”, rightly so! Mover and shaker has been the old director Patrick Bonte during the last decades anyway and he will be even more busy with his creative ideas for his own performances, which he is planning to implement, finally! He promised to stick around anyway! Hopefully!
© photo Yelena van Kharitonova
The Festival is in full swing and I sincerely encourage everyone to go to this Chapel, enjoy the atmosphere of the old “beguinage” and the contemporary edition to it! But also the charm of the interior design of the lobby! You will find some colorful textiles, which are mixed with the antique Belgian lace! J’adore!
Also don’t forget to take this year edition’s fan, because it’s designed according to this year’s concept and colors! You will need it! During the performance inside the building, but also outside of it in your everyday life! These fans are collected by real fans! Voila!
Oostend, Ensor’s only city of love!
