Jan Martens / GRIP
2024
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 women’s sound with monstrosity, disorder and death.
In VOICE NOISE, some innovative, unknown and/or forgotten women’s voices from the past hundred years of music history are given a stage. By doing so, Jan Martens takes another step in his efforts to shape an alternative canon.Six dancers respond to recordings in which the human voice can be heard in various guises: humming, soothing, shrieking, whispering, singing. Gradually, they discover their own voice.
After working with big 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 in the past (Steven Michel, Courtney May Robertson and Loeka Willems) and invites new faces (Sue-Yeon Youn, Elisha Mercelina and Mamadou Wagué).
Jan Martens’ obsessions with numbers, geometry and patterning meets the unique physical languages of these performers, and a new-found interest in dance itself emerges: in detail and subtlety, in redefining grace and elegance.
“A magnificent production”
- Philippe Noisette, Les Echos
“Though seemingly simple in its construction, ‘Voice Noise’ gradually unveils an astonishing richness in its choreography.”
- Philippe Noisette, Les Echos
“Displaying a palette of nuances ranging from the contemplative to the raucous, the choreography holds nothing back.”
- Philippe Noisette, Les Echos
“With 'Voice Noise,' the Flemish choreographer unveils a new, virtuosic, and enchanting chapter.”
- Ariane Bavelier, Le Figaro
“Without any overt instruction, which is what renders it so beautiful.”
- Ariane Bavelier, Le Figaro
“every one of their movements sends shivers down the spine”
- Ariane Bavelier, Le Figaro
“a dazzling meditation”
- Ariane Bavelier, Le Figaro
“Infinitely virtuosic: the dance gently weaves itself into the folds of the intimate experience of listening.”
- Ariane Bavelier, Le Figaro
“The technical virtuosity and astonishing mastery of even the smallest movement, each unique in itself, brings the rhythmic structure of the choreography to life, a choreography which is as rigorous as it is organically fluid, familiar, and inventive.”
- Claudia Calhós, Expresso
“Jan Martens constructs a show where the ancient relationship between music and dance explores new pathways.”
- Claudia Calhós, Expresso
“It is a breakthrough performance in his repertoire, and already a landmark piece in contemporary history.”
- Claudia Calhós, Expresso
“The show is full of moments of beauty, of astonishment, of disturbance, where we hold our breath, through music, through visual play, through light design, through dance, through silences, through moments of recollection, through a quickening of the heartbeat, and all their opposites.”
- Claudia Calhós, Expresso
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
REHEARSAL DIRECTOR Zora Westbroek, Naomi Gibson
LIGHTING DESIGN Jan Fedinger
COSTUME DESIGN Sofie Durnez
SCENOGRAPHY Joris van Oosterwijk
SOUND ENGINEER Vincent Philippart, Valentijn Weyn, Jo Heijens
VOCAL COACHING Ine Claes, Maxime Montjotin
PRODUCTION COSTUMES AND SCENOGRAPHY Théâtre de Liège
INTERNSHIP Malick Cissé, Sien Wils
ARTISTIC ADVICE Marc Vanrunxt, Rudi Meulemans, Femke Gyselinck
TRAILER AND TEASERS Stanislav Dobák
GRAPHIC DESIGN Nick Mattan
TECHNICIANS ON TOUR Elke Verachtert, Valentijn Weyn, Vincent Philippart
MUSIC
- 'Prime Numbers', from the collection 'American Rituals', 1984 - Written and performed by Cheri Knight - Courtesy of the artist and Freedom To Spend / RVNG Intl.
- 'Mouthpiece I', album 'Mouthpieces (Live)', 2000 - Written and performed by Erin Gee - Used by permission of Erin Gee. All copyrights Erin Gee - https://www.erin-gee.com
- 'Trio', album 'Voice', 2002 - written, performed and produced by Maja S. K. Ratkje - co-produced by Jazzkammer (John Hegre & Lasse Marhaug) – ℗ + © Used by permission of Rune Grammofon 2002 – https://ratkje.com
- 'Ain’t It A Lonely Feeling', album 'The Iron Pot Cooker', 1975 - Written and performed by Camille Yarbrough - Used by permission of Camille Yarbrough and ℗ Universal Music Publishing © Vanguard Recording Society, Inc.
- 'Raag Des, Sakhi Mohan', album 'Living Music From The Past', 1935 - Written and performed by Kesarbai Kerkar - Copyright Underscore Records
- 'No One’s Little Girl', album 'Moving', 1977 - Written and performed by The Raincoats - ℗ Used by permission of BMG Rights Management GmbH and courtesy of The Raincoats - http://theraincoats.net
- 'Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child', album 'Vocal Recital', 1940 - Performed by Ruby Elzy – Used by permission of Cambria Master Recordings
- 'SAFE', album 'Good Luck', 2023 - Written and performed by Debby Friday - ℗ Used by permission of Bank Robber Music And Rough Trade Publishing and © Sub Pop Records - https://debbyfriday.com
- 'Not Be Alright', album 'Miss America', 1988 - Written and performed by Mary Margaret O’Hara - Used by permission of Mary Margaret O’Hara. All copyrights Mary Margaret O’Hara.
- 'Varisevalehti', album 'Tuhka – EP', 2022 - Written and performed by Cucina Povera - Used by permission of Maria U. Rossi / Cucina Povera. All copyrights Cucina Povera. - http://www.cucinapovera.bandcamp.com/
- 'Bella ciao sul femminicidio', album 'Calendario Civile', 2019 - Performed by coro delle mondine di porporana - Used by permission of coro delle mondine di porporana. All copyrights coro delle mondine di porporana - https://www.facebook.com/mondineporporana
- 'Surge', album Sinaa, 2006 - Written and Performed by Tanya Tagaq - Published by Songs of Six Shooter B (SOCAN) / Admin by Peermusic - Courtesy of Six Shooter Records, Inc. - https://www.tanyatagaq.com
- 'Sol Lucet', album An Old Hall Ladymass Written by Marianne Reidarsdatter Eriksen - Performed by TRIO MEDIÆVAL - Used by permission of C+P 2023: 2L (Lindberg Lyd AS) - https://www.triomediaeval.no - https://www.mariannereidarsdattereriksen.com
PRODUCTION GRIP (Hanne Doms, 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
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 - centre 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
RESIDENCIES La Comédie de Clermont-Ferrand (FR), DE SINGEL (Antwerp, BE), Charleroi danse - centre chorégraphique de Wallonie - Bruxelles (BE)
WITH THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF the Flemish Government, Tax Shelter of the Belgian Federal Government via BNPPFFF
