In the dance theater performance Blueberries leave bruises on the skin, three characters arrive at a place where they must rediscover themselves and others. In a colorful collection of attempts, they try to cope with the roles that are expected of them. The question that becomes increasingly pressing is this: how much of yourself do you give up in order to meet those expectations? Blueberries leave bruises on the skin is a parade of possible answers to the question of how constructible you are, a celebration of human insecurity and hubris, an ode to searching.
Blueberries leave bruises on the skin is a trilingual (Dutch, English, French) dance theater performance for everyone aged 16 and up. We offer schools that want to come and watch the show an educational package that they can use in class in the period before the performance.
Astrid De Haes (1996) started dancing when she was six and brought along a big interest in movement and the body. She graduated from autonomous design at the School of Arts Ghent with the pre-study for her performance Untitled 1. This creation with four dancers, five musicians and the music of Abel Ghekiere was selected for the 2021 edition of Antwerp's new creator festival Love at first Sight. In 2021 Astrid also made, together with and for Pierre Bastin, the dance solo After All, which was shown in mobile open-air theater De Carrousel in Antwerp.
Mona Thijs (1999) completed the master's degree in writing, performance and media and the educational master's degree in Drama at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp. Short stories of hers appeared in the literary magazine DW B and columns in De Standaard and Klasse. Under the wings of theater workplace HETGEVOLG in Turnhout, she coached a music theater program for foreign-language newcomers together with musician Elias Durnez. She also realized Playlist van de pluk, a multilingual radio series in which she worked with the music, stories and languages of seasonal workers in the Haspengouw fruit harvest. Currently, Mona is working on her debut novel.
concept and direction
Astrid De Haes
Mona Thijs
performance
Melody Van Gompel
Anna Tierney
Kaat De Bakker
sound design
Orlan Ghekiere
costume design
Eli Verkeyn
light design
Dominique Pollet
dramaturgy
Jenne Van Daele
tour technique
Ruben Wolfs
text coach
Peggy De Landtsheer
educational contribution
Gideon Hakker
Mona Thijs
co-producers
De Vlaamse Overheid
ECRU
deSingel
Sabam For Culture
supported by
de Belgische taxshelter via Cronos Invest en Piros
Kunstencentrum Buda
Kultuurfaktorij Monty
Destelheide Hanenbos
C-TAKT
Zuidpool
Passerelle vzw
Per Podium
Klein Verzet