Agenda – Forge
Dear all,
We at Forge (Facebook page) are excited to share our past and future events with you. Kindly inform us if you wish to un-subscribe to our newsletters. Best!
Up coming
September 2020 – 2022
Project ‘Destination Beirut’
Lebanon has been facing multiple crises. Project Destination Beirut is a mixture of an artistic and a therapeutic project.
PAST
February – December 2020
Chinese Folk Stories x Art Making
At the Narcis secondary school in Amsterdam (NL), we started a Storytelling and Fine Arts course for children age 7-9 yrs. During the 5 workshop afternoons they learn 5 different Chinese folk stories and get a fine art assignment connected to the storyline. 2 and 3 – D art making is used.
April 2020
Ren – Hong Kong
“Everyone has the rights to education,” stated Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Nonetheless, as 1 in 5 people are considered to be poor in Hong Kong, many children do not have the opportunity to learn art.
Therefore, sculptor May Yeung part of Forge Collective, painter Bennata So and engineer Ben Tsui cooperate to build the installation “Ren” (“human” in Chinese). The installation aims to raise the general public’s awareness to children’s rights to education, particularly to arts education.
September – December 2019 (postphoned)
Waaghals – Phase II
After the teaser in the spring of 2019, Forge will work with dance and performing arts students on a school project on Love and Intimacy from Afar. The school curriculum will end with a dance theatre performance.
23 March 2019
Opening Museum of Humanities – Zaandam NL
Suzanne de Bekker and Marloes van Houten collaborated with cellist Eva van de Pol to choreograph and perform a duet for the opening of the Museum of Humanities.
Event invitation:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1464400427023606/
Photo report: https://albertallema.passgallery.com/-openingmuseumhumanity/gallery
14 February 2019
Waaghals – phase I
Teaser project ‘waaghals’: stories of love and intimacy from afar. A mixture of dance, story telling, painting and music.
150 people attended the Valentine Parade, organized by the ‘Protestante Diaconie’. An event where the audience could follow several routes where short performances were shown.
Hanna Maas and Marloes van Houten collected stories about love and intimacy from the current residents/visitors of the World House, housed in a former resthouse which neighbors The Hermitage.Those visiting the World House come from different parts of the world. The stories were used as inspiration to make a collection of paintings and a dance performance.
Amsterdam, NL
15 – 28 May 2018 / July – September 2018
The dance/art collective Forge will partner with the Sichuan Modern Dance Company (Chengdu, China) to art direct the onsite dance performance program of their annual international dance festival. Forge’s artistic director Marloes van Houten also taught contemporary dance, choreography, composition at the dance festival.
Chengdu, CN
4-7 May 2018
The photo exhibition Catapult will be shown during a big dance-yoga women retreat in Atlanta (USA).
25 April – 30 April / 8-14 May 2018
‘Reckless Whisper’ – a dance photography project (Hong Kong)
Concept/Dance: Giselle K Liu & Marloes van Houten.
Video: Cammie Warburton
Photos: Tsang MacFlow
Poetic text: Marloes van Houten
17 March 2018
Tribute to ´Janko´ / performance night
Regilio Sedoc and Marloes van Houten perform LOSS.T, a duet on personal loss and the basic instinct freeze, during a Tribute to Charles Janko performance night
ht. A night in which we remember and commemorate the recently deceased musician and composer ´Janko´ who served the Henry Jurriaans Foundationa as a pianist during the professional ballet classes.
More info
http://cafebelcampo.nl/event/a-tribute-to-charles-janko-visser
3-7 March 2018
International Choreographers Week
HKNLversations will take part in the ICK in Tilburg, The Netherlands.
THe ICK brings 20 choreographers from all around the globe together to share and learn together.
‘In Between Dance Cultures’ is this year’s theme, in which we’ll research how anthropological and socio-cultural aspects plays a role in the creation of dance and the way we view it, and we will discover as an exciting undercurrent, the various contemporary dramaturgical perspectives this gives rise to.
9 February – 3 March 2018
Lines in Motion- East Meets West
is a calligraphy exhibition including artists from Hong Kong, Chengdu and the Netherlands. As part of the exhibition HKNLversation will produce two nights of dance programming entitled BEYOND DOTS, to bring the life-world of the Chinese paintings and calligraphy closer to the audience.
9 February, 2 pm
Official opening and Deep Fall Puppet by Rosa Allessie and Marloes van Houten
23 February, 7.30 pm (doors open at 7 pm)
ON GOING MOMENTS by Ruochen wang (Scapino Ballet)
DEEP FALL PUPPET by Marloes van Houten & Rosa Allessie
LOSS.T by Regilio Sedoc (AYA) & Marloes van Houten
2 March: 7.30 pm (doors open at 7 pm) 
AIR of Jort Faber, performed by Dio Semerel
LOSS.T by Regilio Sedoc & Marloes van Houten
FORGE by Robin van Zutphen with live piano
Online tickets:
https://reinventinghome.avayo.nl/transactions/new/71223
Location: Centrum voor Beeldende Kunsten Amsterdam
Organizers: Centrum voor Beeldende Kunsten Amsterdam / Loi Che Rakhorst Gallery / HKNLversations
30 November 2017 – 14 January 2018
Exhibition
Location: 9 Lu Lok Lane, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong
May Yeung of M.Y. Sculpture, who has been part of HKNLversations from the very beginning, now partners with Dutch photographer Marcel Heijnen. Marcel Heijnen Photography gives you a completely new way to look at Hong Kong’s history and culture. Cats tell the story of place. May presents a visual work made in Chicago, and redefines it’s meaning while placing it in the HK context.
Come check out their exhibition running till mid January 2018!
Info:
http://www.marcelheijnen.com/chinese-whiskers
https://www.facebook.com/events/2004867949760469/?ti=cl
4-6 December 2017
Practice as Research – conference (Hong Kong)
Location: Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts
Info: http://ispar.hkapa.edu/
HKNLversations will present its cross cultural art production making as being a case study of ‘practice as research’.
25/26 November 2017
Dance Photography Exhibition ‘Catapult’ (Hong Kong)
Artistic Statement:
Turn back to embrace
Turn back to bring forth
Maternity as a metaphor for new things to be catapulted into existence.
What are you stewarding into being?
Location: Mui Wo, Hong Kong
Info: 6 photos of the catapult series will be exhibited during the Festival Du Feminin
http://www.goodin.hk/festival-du-feminin/
25 November 2017
Beam Your Bliss – day (Beijing)
Get those kilos of worries and stress off. Detox your mind & body. Rejuvenate. Move that body big time, get nutrition coaching. Grow yr self-love and recharge through our unique soul care program.
Time: 10.30 am – 6 pm
10-11.30 am Rejuvenate (Yoga & Journalling)
12- 1 pm Dance Decharge (Dance & Stress release)
1.30-3 pm Healthy lunch & nutrition education
3.30- 6 pm I AM Unique (Movement, Sculpture and Drawing: through these art modalities we will explore our uniqueness).
Location: Superfit (Beijing)
Info: http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/1pcUgSysOEJcI_UReQsrbA
http://www.superfiteast.com/ch/
26 October 2017
Good morning class (Hong Kong)
Contemporary Repertoire
(Partnering based on the performance ‘Deep Fall Puppet’)
: Marloes van Houten x Rosa Allessie
Date: 26/10 (Thu) 10:30am-12:00pm
Venue: Studio 3, CCDC Dance Centre
Limited quota, please email to dc@ccdc.com.hk
https://www.facebook.com/events/124160038292441/
Marloes and Rosa are two professional dancers/choreographers from Holland. They performed their duet ‘Deep Fall Puppet’ at Ullens Centre of Contemporary Art 
– in Beijing last week, as part of the exhibition Cold Nights (based on the 1948 book of Ba Jin). This class is designed for professional dancers and actors with movement experience. We will start with a steady contemporary warming-up, play with movement qualities and shifting of weight. Then we continue with technical partnering exercises: sharing of weight, balance, following/leading, grips. The class will end with learning lifts and partnering tools. A high-energy class with a lot of moving through space while practicing partnering skills.
24 October 2017
Performance ‘Balance the Antagonists’ (Hong Kong)
A performance about balancing the antagonist supporting a talk of Prof. dr. Daniël Saris, an Dutch orthopedic knee surgeon of the University of Utrecht collaborating with the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Choreographers/dancers: Rosa Allessie & Marloes van Houten
Location: Shared Space
More info: https://www.uu.nl/en/events/uu-on-tour-hong-kong
11-19 October 2017
Workshop series ‘Art & Well-being’ (Beijing)
Location: Ullens Centre for Contemporary Art
Teachers: Marloes van Houten / Rosa Allessie
13 October 7.30-10 pm
14 October 9 – 12 am
15 October 9 – 12 am
Performance ‘Deep Fall Puppet’ (Beijing)
Ullens Centre for Contemporary Art
17 October 2/3/4 pm
Choreography/dance: Marloes van Houten / Rosa Allessie
More info:
www.ucca.org.cn
mp.weixin.qq.com/s/u1wMdc8Gx2H2FuYVx_NK0g
30 September-10 October 2017
TOUCH dance festival
Chengdu / Beijing
Teacher: Marloes van Houten
Info:
www.facebook.com/groups/touchcontactfestival/
permalink/138165416786724/
26 August 2017
Performance night ‘No Choice’ (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
7.30 pm, De Hallen
During this performance night several short dance theatre pieces will be shown. The central theme is ‘(no) choice’. Do we always have a choice, and if so, what we do with the ability to choose? Shown will be “Muscari Armeniacum” by Marloes van Houten performed with Joe Mulier: trailer. Hong Kong choreographers/dancers Tracy Wong and Mao Wei will perform “Pardon”: trailer. Jort Faber and Marialuisa Lattene will also stage a performance.
More info:
dehallen-amsterdam.nl/agenda/dansvoorstelling-no-choice-door-hknlversations/
Tickets: reservations@cafebelcampo.nl
June 17th 2017
7.30 pm Sheung Wan Civic Center Lecture Hall
An evening of contemporary dance solo works by Hong Kong and International artists.
Marloes van Houten, Kristopher Long & Eugenia Kim of HKNLversations prepared to show a work entitled ‘Catapult’.
Presented by MotiveforMotion.
Ticketing Enquiries 3761 6661
Internet Booking www.urbtix.hk
10- 21 December 2016
Yoga x Pilates x Detox 4 Movers
The class will be a mix of strengthening pilates exercise specifically for the dancers body, yoga & bodywork/massage focused on detox and cleansing, guided reflection through creative assignments. good vibes and lots of encouragement.4 classes (drop in for just 1 also ok) based on donation
10/17 December 11 – 12.30 am
14 December 10.30-12.00 am
21 December morning or evening depending on the groups wishes
More info:
www.facebook.com/events/1803355229933614/
or email info@reinventinghome.net
16 October & 29 November 2016
Solo performance SPEAK
The solo performance SPEAK was originally made for the Justice Conference Asia and later also performed at the i-dance festival in Hong Kong
The performance reflects on injustices we face, be it in relationships, or of systems we are part of. The mixed feelings of tiredness, shielding self, and getting
up and stepping out even when feeling incapable.
See here for the artistic statement, credits and video.
Peer to Pier project – 2016
This year the following two events will take place in Hong Kong:
- International Collective Artists in Residency for Opportunities and Sustainability.
- The “Hong Kong International Choreography Festival”. Unity Space will be the presenter and producer.
Marloes van Houten, the initiator of the Hong Kong – Netherlands art dialogue this newsletter is about, was asked to make an onsite work. Based on this invitation she started a one year project with the title “Peer to Pier”. In this project female artists from Hong Kong and the Netherlands, in different stages of their careers, will reflect on growth in their being and as artists.
Photo credit – Darryll Atema
Photo credit – Darryll Atema
Photo credit – Darryll Atema
Photo credit – Darryll Atema
8 Mar – 17 Apr – Actual Artist in Residency
Jan-Mar – Hong Kong Artist in Residency preparation
16-17 Apr – Hong Kong onsite performance “The Voyage”
Location: murnomade.com/en/
More info: hkicaroshkicf.wix.com/hkicaroshkicf#!projects/oflu9
Tickets: hkicaroshkicf.wix.com/hkicaroshkicf#!schedule/kow1j
15-22 Apr Installation open for visitors
@murnomade.com/en/ (free entrance)
THE NETHERLANDS
15/16/17 December 2016
INSTINCT: Premier Performance
Three dancers go to extreme lengths in an eddy of live electronic music as primal instincts come to the fore. They literally surround the audience. Allow yourself to be carried along to the ‘primordial heart’ of our existence. Visceral human and animal movement unravels into dance before our eyes. Evolution in reverse order; everything seems connected.
Trailer: vimeo.com/190990673
Location: Theatre Kikker, Utrecht, The Netherlands
www.theaterkikker.nl/agenda/instinct/lang/en/
23 November 2016- Reinventing Home Masterclass
HKNLversations art director Marloes van Houten teaches a masterclass to the year 1-3 dance students of the Utrecht Dance Academy.
15-19 August 2016
Summer Intensive “Instinct” movement research, with a guest workshop of Hong Kong dance artist Ivy Tsui.
dancingopportunities.com/index.php/tag/contemporary-dance-platform-summer-intensive/
Spring 2016
The “instinct” short film will be shown at Cinedans.
www.eyefilm.nl/en/film/cinedans-shorts-3-dutch-choreographers
VISIT HONG KONG – of Dutch choreographer Iris van Peppen
Iris van Peppen is one of the pioneer dance makers in instant composition and onsite work in the Netherlands. Due to deafness in her childhood she developed the ability to deeply listen to a space through her skin. She still uses this sensitivity to create onsite dance productions.
Iris has been working on the Netherlands chapter (INSTINCT) of this HKNL exchange/research since 2014, see reinventinghome.net/start/local-chapters/instinct/ She was invited to Hong Kong to come share of the INSTINCT movement research and her extensive experience with instant composition. The program included the following elements and was attended by professional and non-professional dancers: open artist in residency, performance & meeting the artist, and a workshop.
12 & 13 January
Good Morning Class
Time: 10.30-12 am @ CCDC
9 January – Performance & “Meeting the Artist”
With Iris van Peppen and Marloes van Houten @WING Platform for Performance.
Time: 7-10 pm
7 – 13 January – Open Artist in Residency
Open Artist in Residency, performance & workshops by Dutch choreographer Iris van Peppen coming to Hong Kong.
- 7/8 January, 10-5 pm:@ CCDC.
- 9 January 10 am-1 pm.
- 10 January 10.30 am – 7 pm.
More info:
facebook.com/events/478995715619849
2015
“POIEMA” – ONSITE DANCE THEATRE PERFORMANCE
For iDance Festival (Hong Kong) 2015, Marloes van Houten initiated to choreograph an onsite dance theatre piece with live music, named “POIEMA”. The performance is a co-creation of the performers, made as a devising dance theatre work. The cast included the dancers: Gary Swart, Carmen Read, Ara Cho, Eva Lin, Marloes van Houten, David Leung. And the musicians: Callum MacKenzie, Paul Yip
POIEMA consisted of three parts and was performed in the oldest settlement of Hong Kong, Shui Tau Tsuen. POIEMA means “to become a living letter, a living poem”. In the piece we went back to the story of two cousins getting into a strife over the establishment of Shui Tau Tsuen, and ended up starting each their own settlement.
We questioned how stories never resolved influence our communities nowadays, and what new can be born without unison. In our creation process we discovered that (re)connecting is precarious. And the dillema will be if, amist the uncertainty, risks, and vulnerability of relationships, we choose to accept the ‘precarious’ in (re)connecting and base ourselves in trust as a fundament
POIEMA was curated to be performed in Szenchen’s Fringe Festival, but the makers decided the piece was too site specific and it would not be possible to transport. A review was written and published in the Hong Kong Dance Journal: bit.ly/1NoV8tg
See here for a more extensive visual impression: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUXYPnAIv9Q
Photo credit – Mak Siu Fung
Photo credit – Jin Heng
I-dance Hong Kong 2015 – onsite choreographers and performers – photo credit Jin Heng
22 November – 18 December
Movie
Dance film shooting in Hong Kong.
7 – 22 November 2015: @i-dance festival
We perform, give worshops and speak as part of the i-dance festival.
9 November evening: Workshop The Junction & Marloes & David
10 November morning: Workshop: The Junction & Henk Kraaijeveld
12 November evening: Workshop Gary Swart & Marloes van Houten
15 November 12-4 pm: Kam Tin dancing all around performance
16 November evening: “Meet the artist” (David & Marloes tell about the HK-NL project)
22 November 12-4 pm: Kam Tin dancing all around performance
4-6 pm: Improvisation Land 61 performance
More info:
www.y-space.org/…/20…/09/iDance-2015-Catalog-re-s.pdf
28 October, 8 pm: “Forge Portmanteau”
Multidisciplinary performance
With German-Dutch flutist Mark Alban Lotz. Residency of the Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, 24 Mount Cameron Rd, Wanchai Gap.
Tickets through:
art-mate.net
26 October 2015
Hilarity Ensues with Mark (Nl) and Sze (HK)
8 pm, Focal Fair, 28/F, Park Avenue Tower, 5 Moreton Terrace, Causeway Bay
www.facebook.com/events/1620172504917017
Summer 2015
Marloes van Houten went for an artist in residence to the NL, and worked with Iris van Peppen, so the HK and NL side could exchange movement research material and inspire each other.
April 2015 – beginning of 2016
David Leung & Marloes van Houten from the HK team started a Saturday group of interdisciplinary artists (core group and a production course), to work weekly build towards a performance in the fall of 2015 and beginning of 2016.
March – June
Iris van Peppen continued in the Netherlands with her troupe to do movement research related to the project theme.
Which she currently curates under the name ‘instinct’, that was performed in a Dutch prison in May 2015. See: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJxg6xdGEHo
30/31 March and 1/2 April
David & Marloes presented their ideas at the following conference and artist round table in HK: www.iias.nl/event/artistic-interventions-histories-cartographies-and-politics-asia
March 2015
13-29 March: Marloes joined the conference www.firt-iftr.org/item/442-does-it-matter-composite-bodies-and-posthuman-prototypes-in-contemporary-performing-arts in Ghent Belgium to build network relevant for the project. When remaining in Nl for the rest of the period, she will give workshops to transmit movement research material developed in Hong kong. Here an example: www.instantcomposition.com
She met Iris and Expodium to strengthen the Dutch support base for the project, and do practical preparations to prepare for the summer residency (2015) and for the fall 2015 when Iris/Expodium plan on coming to Hong Kong.
Movement Workshop ‘Destructering towards Home’ in Shui Tau Tsuen (Marloes & Irene Sposetti from Being Motion): www.facebook.com/events/422014281291316
January 2015
first dance- research presentation at the Nieuwjaarsduik in NL (with David, Marloes, Iris), see www.dansimprovisatie.com/projects/agenda
David & Marloes gave a masterclass introducing the participants to some of the ideas and movement/voicework from STOB.
www.dansimprovisatie.com/workshops/stob-movement-master-class-ka-nang-david-leung-marloes-van-houten
And beside the Masterclass, Marloes & David taught some other movement workshops and classes, were coaching using somatic and body work, and gave inspirational speeches for young Dutch art students, e.g. at an Arts School in Apeldoorn, at the Rotterdam Dance Academy, at Health Centre Lunetten in Utrecht, for Sadhana Dance in Amsterdam.
2014
September – December
David and Marloes met and rehearsed ones or twice a week in Hong Kong to follow up on STOB and research some of the concepts more in depth, and see how two cultures reflect differently on deconstruction-reconstruction. They also built up movement material to share in the Netherlands.