After several successful editions, the Good [old] Times production will be staged again this year to mark the 20th anniversary of the Holland Dance Festival. For this special occasion not one, but two choreographers have been invited to create new works: Kiran Bonnema and Laisvie Ochoa. In this special double bill they will each work with their own group of dancers.
Good [old] Times proves that dance knows no age. This biennial production is specially designed for dancers aged 55 and over, offering them the chance to create a performance together with a professional choreographer. This year we will select two groups of participants by audition. They will work with the choreographers to create a production that will move, surprise and inspire the audience - a unique experience for both the dancers and the audience.
About the choreographers
Kiran Bonnema was born in Wageningen, the Netherlands, in 1998 and moved to Brazil at an early age, where they started dancing. They graduated from the Bolshoi Theatre School in Brazil at 16 and not long after received the opportunity to continue their training at l’École Atelier Rudra Béjart in Lausanne, Switzerland. In 2017, Kiran returns to the Netherlands to work with De Dutch Don’t Dance Division (DeDDDD), followed by an internship season with Nederlands Dans Theater 2 (NDT 2). There, they participated in creations by Yoann Bourgeois and Johan Inger, and performed works by renowned choreographers including Ohad Naharin, Marco Goecke, Paul Lightfoot, Sol León, and Crystal Pite. Kiran later joined Hessisches Staatsballett in Wiesbaden, Germany, where they danced 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.
Laisvie Andrea Ochoa is a Colombian-Lithuanian choreographer, inclusive dance expert, video artist and she’s leading ConCuerpos, Colombia's first inclusive dance company, now expanding to the Netherlands. Trained in Psychology and Multimedia Creation in Colombia, she pursued a Master in Choreography (COMMA) and the Embodied Life Art Program (ELAP) in the Netherlands. Her work, created across Colombia, Argentina, and the Netherlands, often involves live video projection and addresses political and human issues. Currently, she researches the aesthetic of access, integrating subtitles, audio description, and Sign Language as artistic means of expression. Laisvie moves between Colombia and the Netherlands, continuing her work with ConCuerpos, being a dancer, teacher and maker.
Meet the choreographers
Auditions can be stressful, which is why we organise classes with both choreographers. During these workshops you will get to know their working methods, their vision and their energy:
- Saturday 14 June – 11:00 to 12:30 – Kiran Bonnema (FULL)
- Saturday 14 June – 13:00 to 14:30 – Kiran Bonnema
- Sunday 29 June – 11:00 to12:30 – Laisvie Ochoa (FULL)
- Sunday 29 June – 11:00 to12:30 – Laisvie Ochoa
Introduction workshop Kiran Bonnema
Kiran values deep collaboration with the dancers in the creative process. This involves conversations where thoughts and ideas can be shared physically and emotionally. For this particular piece, the choreographer wants to draw on the dancers' real-life experiences to create something personal and intimate: a space in which their individual stories can be expressed and celebrated. Movements will generate through improvisational exercises inspired by the themes that emerge from a collective brainstorm, as well as games and exercises that explore spatial awareness, musicality and coordination, creating an environment of playfulness and discovery.
Introduction workshop Laisvie Ochoa
In this introduction workshop Laisvie will introduce the theme she wants to develop for the final performance. The starting question is What is alive within you? Each dancer will be encourage to connect with their passions through the pleasure of moving. This will lead to short solos that will dialogue with the rest of the group. Inspired by the structure of traditional Greek theater, we will work on a contemporary version of the chorus (a group of people) that supports, comments on, or contrasts the individual expressions. This will lead to various connections, spatial arrangements, rhythms, and dynamics that will create a clear structure for instant composition.
Are you 55 years or older, do you love dance and would you like to work with a group and one of these professional choreographers on a performance?
Take this unique opportunity and join the introductionworkshop(s). Find out if the Good [old] Times production is your next dance adventure!
There is no audition process for this event. Attendance at the introduction workshop(s) is therefore not a commitment or prerequisite for the new Good [old] Times production. Auditions for participation will take place in September 2025.
For any questions or further information, please contact Yvonne@holland-dance.com