Alejandro Petrasso, Argentinian pianist, born in 1974 in Buenos Aires, obtained his degree at the Academie Juan Castro Buenos Aires). From the age of twelve he has given solo concerts and performed in recitals. He has played throughout Europe and Argentina. During his career he has received several first prizes. In 2002 he makes his first steps as a composer. Based on a minimalist concept, he has worked with acoustic piano and electronic sounds. Today, he plays with the group L'Orchestre du Mouvements Perpétuel (First prize winner of the Chanson Françaises 2004) where he also composes the acoustic base for the songs and takes part in the creation of electronic samples. Currently, he continues his career as a pianist and composer in various project in Brussels (Dance, Chanson Françaises, Instrumental music,..). He recently joined the dance company ZOO/ Thomas Hauert as musician and composer for the' improvisation BrxlBravo', 'More or less Sad Songs' and 'Walking Oscar'.
Aliocha Van der Avoort
After he’s graduation in “Image” at l’INSAS (1991) he studied electro-acoustic at the Conservatoire de Mons .
He collaborated as chief cameraman on several films o.a. for dance Rosas (AnneTeresa de Keersmaeker), Ultima Vez (Wim Vandekeybus), Zoo (Thomas Hauert), Damaged Goods (Meg Stuart), Thierry Demey and for a video installations by Marie-José Burki.
Since 1997 he has been carrying musical research, composing a number of works, including Tropisme which won a prize at the Métamorphoses competition (2000).
Since 1999 he has been working on musician and video-artist for o.a Meg Stuart/ Damaged Goods, Lilia Mestre & Davis Freeman.
In 2002, he creates Vocabularium a video installation at the Palais des Beaux Arts in Brussels as part of the Rosas XX exhibition.
His latest video installation ‘Affeti’, presented at KunsteFestivaldesArts, is based on the opera of Cavalli ‘La Didonne’ (2004)
Bart Aga
Bart Aga (Brussels, 1969) created the music and did the sound engineering for several pieces by ZOO/Thomas Hauert: Cows in Space, Pop-up Songbook, Do You Believe in Gravity? Do You Trust the Pilot?, Verosimile, 5 (Via) and Walking Oscar. For many years he was in charge of the sound/video engineering and composed the music for Damaged Goods/Meg Stuart (Splayed Mind Out, Appetite, Highway 101). He made music compositions for a.o. Heine Afdal & Yukiko Shinozaki (Cast Off Skin), Magdalena Reiter (Closer) and Kris Verdonck (5). He also works as technical sound director at Flagey (Brussels).
Chrysa Parkinson
Chrysa Parkinson (United States, 1964) has been performing in New York since 1986. puzzled is her 5th creation with ZOO. She also performs with Tere O\'Connor, Deborah Hay, David Zambrano and Jonathan Burrows. In the past few years she has been teaching internationally, with an ongoing relationship to PARTS/Rosas in Brussels and Movement Research in New York. In 1996 Chrysa was awarded a Bessie (New York Dance and Performance Award) for sustained achievement.
Lisa Gunstone, born in England on the 11th June 1970.
Lisa Gunstone graduated from London Contemporary Dance School in 1991. She worked for a few years in London before moving to Belgium in 1994 to work with Karin Vynke. Since then Lisa has worked with a.o. Alain Platel (“La Tristesa Complice”), Pierre Droulers (“Multum in Parvo”,“ M.A.”), Caterina Sagna (“Relation Publique”) and Carlotta Sagna (“A”).
She is currently replacing Mark Lorimer in Modify from ZOO/ Thomas Hauert.
Manon De Boer
Manon De Boer (1966, India) is a visual artist. In the past years she created several video and film works based on stories and memories of persons from her close environment. By asking these persons to tell their memories over and over again, it reveals how subtle the accentuation in the stories changes and how the individual imagination transforms the memories She exposed a.o. at Galerie Jan Mot (Brussels), Het Stedelijk Museum Bureau (Amsterdam) and l'Etablissement d'en Face (Brussels). For the public library in Brussels she made 'Mind Mapping'. La Lettre Volée published a book on her work 'Oscillations'( 2001). Her latest work is the movie 'Sylvia Kristel - Paris' (Galerie Jan Mot, 2003).
Mark Lorimer
Mark Lorimer (UK, 1969) studied at the London LCDS and has since worked with the Featherstonehaughs/Lea Anderson, Rosas/Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Michèle-Anne De Mey, Bock & Vincenzi, Mia Lawrence, Deborah Hay, Jonathan Burrows and Rosemary Butcher. He participated in ZOO’s first six group projects and choreographed Nylon Solution as part of 5. Thereafter, he returned to the Rosas Company, first as a rehearsal assistant and then as a dancer.
Martin Kilvady
Martin Kilvady (Slovakia, 1974) followed a teachers education in contemporary dance at the University for Music and Dramatic Arts in Bratislava. He worked with several professional and non-professional dance companies. Since 1997 he works as a free-lancer, performing for various dance companies (among which Rosas), and as teacher. He participated in the 5 latest ZOO groupe projects 5/Common Senses, modify, More or Less Sad Songs, Walking Oscar and puzzled. He is also a founding member of the dance collective Les SlovaKs.
Mat Voorter
Mat Voorter (the Netherlands, 1965) studied at the Rotterdam Dance Academy and works internationally as a dance artist. He likes to work and perform in dance research and improvisation projects. He has ongoing collaborations with David Zambrano and Thomas Hauert. He has worked as well on various projects by Anders Christiansen, Mark Tompkins, Gonnie Heggen, Michèle-Anne De Mey and Mal Pelo. He also designs costumes and sets, among other things.
Author Oscar van den Boogaard (1964) grew up in Surinam and Holland. He studied Law and French Litterature in Montpellier, Amsterdam and Brussels. After working for three months as a lawyer he started fulltime writing. Oscar van den Boogaard is considered as one of the most talented young writers of this moment. He was heralded as the most important Dutch-speaking voice of his generation‚ by the newspaper De Standaard. In 1990 Van den Boogaard published his first novel 'Dentz'. After the novels 'Fremdkörper' (1991) and 'Bruno's optimisme' (1993), he reached wide audiences in 1995 with the novel De heerlijkheid van Julia. Other novels followed. Liefdesdood (1999), 'Sensaties' (2000) and 'Een bed vol schuim' (2002). His work has since received numerous nominations for literary prizes and has been translated into many languages.In 2001 he wrote the theatre piece 'Lucia Smelt' (Lucia Melts) that was performed to great acclaim by Theater group Stan and Sterremix for the young Theater group skAgEn. With The night of the Bonobo’s and Lavalounge he makes his debut in the large hall. He wrote the new play 'NEST' directed and performed by Steven Van Watermeulen, produced by rOtheater and Lilles 2004. Oscar van den Boogaard received from the Deutsche Akademischer Austauschdienst for the year 2003 the invitation to live and work 12 months in Berlin. His latest book is 'Het verticale strand' (2005).
OWN
OWN is a label created by THIERRY RONDENET and HERVE YVRENOGEAU, both post graduated Iin screen printing and printed image, from la cambre (BRUSSELS), now teachers in fashion department at La Cambre. Established in October 1998, OWN wants to develop projects in fashion, furniture and graphic design. www.own.be
Samantha van Wissen
After training at the Rotterdam Dance Academy, Samantha van Wissen (The Netherlands, 1970) danced for Rosas under Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker. From 1991 to 1997, she participates in many creations and in some repertory pieces. Since 1998, she has participated in all of ZOO group projects except modify. She also played in the children’s pieces Drie Zusters and Droesem, directed by Inne Goris (Seven). She gives workshops at PARTS and other training programs.
Simon Siegmann (France, 1971) studied visual arts. After his first presentations as part of collective exhibitions, he started to confront and combine his plastic work with the work of performing artists, including the choreographers Pierre Droulers and Michèle-Anne De Mey. For ZOO/Thomas Hauert he did the set and lighting design for Cows in Space, Pop-Up Songbook, Do You Believe in Gravity? Do You Trust the Pilot? and Verosimile. He also designed the set for Jetzt. Since 2001 he has created several personal sculptures/set designs that are the result of his cross-disciplinary research between plastic arts and art vivant: Raining Dogs (2001), Rafale (2003), Agora (2005), Living Theatre (2006) and Trois Plateaux (2007).
SwissDance&ChoreographyAward
ZOO/ THOMAS HAUERT recieves the 'Swiss Dance and Choreography Award 2005' for his latest creation 'modify' with his company ZOO.
This award is attributed by Pro Tanz thanks to de 'Stiftung Corymbo' (Annette-Ringier-Fonds) to the most outstanding performance in the field of contemporary dance by a Jury of Swiss Dance Professionals.
Some words of the jury: "With 'modify' Thomas Hauert and his company ZOO presented a mature work which brings together his long-time investigation. He manages by means of scenery, light, costume, music, space and dance to bring surprising yet demanding solutions. In the frame of Thomas Hauert's compelling and self-willed oeuvre 'modify' is an exceptional production."
The award was officially presented at the Berner Tanztage on the 6th of June 2005, 'modify' was presented that same evening in the Dampfzentrale, Bern (CH)
Ursula Robb (New Zealand, 1969) trained at the 'New Zealand School of Dance' in Wellington and graduated in 1989. 'Modify' is her first collaboration with ZOO. Prior to that she worked in New Zealand with The Douglas Wright Dance Company, and the choreographers Shona McCullagh and Ann Dewey. Ursula moved to Europe in 1995 and worked with Wim Vandekeybus' company Ultima Vez (1995-1997) and Anne Teresa De Keersmaekers company Rosas (1997-2004).
Zefiro Torna
The Flemish vocal-instrumental ensemble Zefiro Torna was founded in 1996. Its allegorical name refers to the way in which the mythological god of the west wind, Zephyrus, manages to chase the bitter winter away year after year. This myth served as a source of inspiration for many poets and composers in the middle ages, the renaissance and the baroque. Zefiro Torna consists of musicians who have won their spurs in ensembles such as the Huelgas ensemble, Collegium Vocale, Capilla Flamenca en Het Muziek Lod. If the programme requires it, the ensemble is joined by excellent vocalists and instrumentalists from Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Italy. Zefiro Torna brings the cultural heritage to life in a unique fashion, departing from a deep respect for the past. Authenticity is combined with creativity.
The ensemble opts for historical instruments and a historical approach to performance practice – for which it calls on the assistance of musicologists – yet they add their very own elements. They incorporate literature, theatre and contemporary or ethnic music in their productions. These are at times thematic, at other times strongly conceptual or experimental, always showing a strong sense of inspiration. Zefiro Torna gained international acclaim for their multifaceted approach. Their success has led to numerous concert tours, appearances at important international music festivals (Vienna, Vantaa/Finland, Bologna, Pays d\'Auge (F), Bruges/Musica Antiqua, Utrecht, Antwerp/Laus Polyphoniae, Alden Biesen, Festival of Flanders, Festival of Wallonia) and recordings for the Flemish, Walloon, Dutch and German radio.
A first CD Mermaphilia was released in 2002 on the Eufoda label, in 2004 the CD El noi de la mare was released on the Klara label. The latter was awarded the Klara Music Prize for the best Flemish CD 2005. For the project Gouden Vleugels (Golden Wings – an initiative to support young chamber music talent), Zefiro Torna was mentor of the percussion trio Triatu. Their double concert was awarded the Prize of the Audience: the Klara Tandem Award.
In January 2006 Zefiro Torna received the Tech-Art Prize from the Flemish Chamber of Engineers, which wants to stimulate innovative realisations and entrepreneurship. The CD Les Tisserands is released in the summer of 2006. In 2007 the ensemble occupies centre stage at the Musica Antiqua Festival in Bruges.
Zefiro Torna is recognised and subsidised by the Ministry of the Flemish Community.
Zoe Poluch
Born in Victoria, Zoe Poluch studies at The School of Toronto Dance Theatre before moving to Montreal where she participates in several creations with local companies. She lives now in Brussels where she has worked with cie Isabella Soupart on K.O.D.. She also develops a research project supported by the Canada Council for the Arts. puzzled is her first collaboration with ZOO.
