After several successful editions, the Good [old] Times production returns this anniversary year to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Holland Dance Festival. For this special occasion, not one but two choreographers have been invited to create new work: Kiran Bonnema and Laisvie Ochoa. In this special double bill, Kiran Bonnema and Laisvie Ochoa will each create a performance with two different groups of dancers, focusing on personal stories and expression, each through their own unique style and vision.
Are you 55 or older, love dancing, and excited about the idea of working together with a group and a professional choreographer to create a performance? Holland Dance Festival and choreographers Kiran Bonnema and Laisvie Ochoa are looking for energetic dancers aged 55 and above who have a passion for the stage. This biennial production is specially designed for older dancers, offering them the chance to collaborate with a professional choreographer to bring a performance to life. Through auditions on Saturday, September 13, and Sunday, September 14, two groups of dancers will be selected, each working with one of the choreographers. Together, they will develop a production that will surprise and inspire the audience — a unique experience for both dancers and spectators.
Auditions
Everyone aged 55 and older is warmly invited to apply for the audition(s) of this Good [old] Times festival production. Register via ‘dates & tickets’ for one or more auditions (Kiran Bonnema, Laisvie Ochoa, or both). After registering, you will receive a link to the application form by email. Your registration is only official once this form has been completed.
On Saturday 13 and/or Sunday 14 September, you are expected to attend your chosen audition slot (11:00–12:30 or 13:00–14:30) at Korzo, The Hague. We recommend wearing comfortable clothing that allows you to move freely. No preparation is needed for the audition; dance experience is not required, but a love of dancing is definitely a plus.
Audition participation is free of charge. If selected for the Good [old] Times participant program, a contribution fee will apply.
After the audition
The rehearsal period begins on Saturday, November 1. Rehearsals will then take place weekly on Saturdays from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM (except during the Christmas holidays). The rehearsal dates are:
November 1, 8, 15 (only Kiran Bonnema), 22, 23 (only Laisvie Ochoa), 29
December 6, 13, 20
January 10, 17, 24, 31
In addition to these dates, please also note the following important moments:
- Tech days: Thursday, February 5 & Friday, February 6
- Performance days: Saturday, February 7 & Sunday, February 8, and Thursday, February 12 & Friday, February 13
To participate in the production, it is important that you are available on all the above-mentioned dates, although attendance is not always mandatory. The premiere of this new Good [old] Times production will take place during the Holland Dance Festival 2026 at Korzo, The Hague.
About choreographer Kiran Bonnema
Kiran Bonnema was born in Wageningen, the Netherlands, in 1998 and moved to Brazil at a young age, where they began dancing. At 16, they graduated from the Bolshoi Theatre School in Brazil and shortly thereafter had the opportunity to continue their training at l'École Atelier Rudra Béjart in Lausanne, Switzerland. In 2017, Kiran returned to the Netherlands to collaborate with De Dutch Don’t Dance Division (DeDDDD), followed by an internship season at Nederlands Dans Theater 2 (NDT 2). There, Kiran contributed to creations by Yoann Bourgeois and Johan Inger and danced works by renowned choreographers such as Ohad Naharin, Marco Goecke, Paul Lightfoot, Sol León, and Crystal Pite. Later, Kiran joined the Hessisches Staatsballett in Wiesbaden, Germany, performing works by Sharon Eyal, Damien Jalet, Xie Xin, and others. Currently, Kiran works as a freelance artist, active as a dancer, choreographer, rehearsal assistant, and teacher.
In their creative process, Kiran places great value on deep collaboration with the dancers. They look forward to conversations where ideas and feelings can be shared—both physically and emotionally. For this particular creation, the choreographer draws on the dancers’ real-life experiences to create something personal and intimate—a space where individual stories can be expressed and celebrated. Movements are generated through improvisation tasks inspired by themes emerging from a joint brainstorming session, as well as through games and exercises that explore spatial awareness, musicality, and coordination, fostering an environment of playfulness and discovery.
About choreographer Laisvie Ochoa
Laisvie Andrea Ochoa is a Colombian-Lithuanian choreographer with expertise in inclusive dance. She is also a video artist and founder of ConCuerpos, Colombia’s first inclusive dance company, which is now also active in the Netherlands. Laisvie studied Psychology and Multimedia Creation in Colombia and holds a Master’s degree in Choreography (COMMA) and completed the Embodied Life Art Program (ELAP) in the Netherlands. Her work—created in Colombia, Argentina, and the Netherlands—combines live video projection with political and human themes. Currently, she explores the aesthetics of accessibility, integrating artistic elements such as subtitles, audio description, and sign language into her choreography.
Laisvie encourages every dancer to connect with their passions through the joy of movement. This leads to personal short solos that engage in dialogue with the group. Inspired by the structure of traditional Greek theater, she works on a contemporary version in which the group supports, comments on, or contrasts the individual expressions. The result is a dynamic composition with shifting forms, rhythms, and structures.
For questions or more information, please contact Yvonne Schellekens.
