In our nineteenth festival edition, we once again present several international dance companies in the Netherlands, some of which have never been showcased here before. In case of the New York City-based Gibney Company it is even a European debut.
Certainly, the company has been around for a while: it was founded in 1991 and is still directed by choreographer and cultural and social entrepreneur Gina Gibney. However, in the early 2020s, the group received a significant gift from a private donor, enabling an ambitious and extensive transformation and expansion. Not only did the company's size double, but the financial injection also facilitated Gibney in connecting talented, often young dance makers and renowned figures in the international dance scene to her company. Among them are choreographers who hold esteemed positions in our country, such as Ohad Naharin, the duo Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar, Johan Inger, and Gustavo Ramirez Sansano. The metamorphosis is yielding positive results, with the group celebrating successes at renowned venues like the Joyce Theater in New York and New York's prestigious Fall for Dance festival. They have also toured to Fall for Dance North in Toronto, Dance Victoria in British Columbia, various performing arts centers in the U.S., and are planning their New York season in the spring. For their performances in the Netherlands, Gibney and festival director Samuel Wuersten will make a surprising selection from the diverse and renewed repertoire, focusing on creations not previously seen here.
A home for thousands of New Yorkers
Beyond its recent ‘reinvention’, the Gibney Company stands out for more reasons. It serves as the core of the organization initiated by Gina Gibney in 1991, blending her passion for dance with a commitment to social justice. Starting with a single studio, her endeavor expanded to two locations—Gibney 280 Broadway and Gibney 890 Broadway—with 23 studios and five presentation spaces. In addition to Gibney Company, which has provided a home for thousands of New York dancers and dance enthusiasts over the decades, the organization offers a wide range of classes and contributes significantly to areas like diversity and inclusion, mental health, and economic self-sufficiency.
Gibney Company will perform original works created by internationally renowned choreographers: The Fugue of Twyla Tharp, A Measurable Existence of Yue Yin en OH COURGAGE! of Sonya Tayeh.
