Kneeding is a choreography for three men. It explores relations between what happens inside of a body and outside of it: how inner processes manifest themselves externally and how the exterior influences what is within. The palpable reality of matter – the dancing body and its tactile surroundings – is combined with the immaterial reality of imagination. In this way,Kneedingnegotiates between physicality and psychology, between “kneading” and “needing”. With continuous, pumping movementKneeding works its way through the interlocking spaces of the mind and body, sustaining an ever-shifting environment. Dancing, the performers challenge their own self-perception, generating an introspection that rouses both centripetal and centrifugal force. Seated on three sides of the dancers, the spectators become close witnesses of this undertaking. They are complicit in the act of producing and collecting the images that emerge, and at times literally implicated in the events that materialize amidst them.
Jefta van Dinther concept
Jefta van Dinther, Frederic Gies and Thiago Granato creators and performers
David Kiers sound
Produced by: Frascati Productions, Amsterdam
Supported by: 6M1L and Estúdio Nave, São Paulo
Jefta van Dinther (NL/SE) is a choreographer and dancer who was born in the Netherlands and grew up in Sweden. After graduating in dance from the Amsterdam School of the Arts and working in the field since, he now works between Stockholm, Berlin and Amsterdam.
Jefta makes dance performances, both alone and in collaboration with other artists. He is currently working on and touring the new performance THIS IS CONCRETE a collaboration with dancer and choreograpger Thiago Granato, and GRIND, made in collaboration with lighting designer Minna Tiikkainen and sound designer David Kiers. His other works include The Blanket Dance (2011), which was made in collaboration with Frederic Gies and DD Dorvillier. In 2009 he made the quintet The Way Things Go (2009) . Together with Mette Ingvartsen he created the performance IT’S IN THE AIR (2009). And Breeding, Brains and Beauty (2009) was made by the collective COCOs (Bojana Cvejic, Sandra Iche, Mette Ingvartsen, Jan Ritsema and Jefta van Dinther). His work has been presented in theatres and festivals such as Frascati Theater Amsterdam, Kaaitheater Brussels, Hebbel am Ufer Berlin, Kampnagel Hamburg, Tanzquartier Vienna, Antipodes Brest, TNB Rennes, In-Presentable Madrid, CCN Montpellier, Weld Stockholm, MDT Stockholm, Fabrik Potsdam, PACT Zollverein etc.
Jefta has been engaged as a performer with various choreographers including Mette Ingvartsen, Xavier Le Roy, Ivana Muller, Frederic Gies, Kristine Slettevold, Keren Levi, Leine&Roebana, Pere Faura, Carolien Hermans, Martin Butler and Inari Salmivaara. He teaches in choreography, sharing his methods of work and practices. During 2008/2009 he was one of the participants in the project 6 Months 1 Location (6M1L), an experiment in education, production and research at the choreographic centre of Montpellier. Together with the other participants of 6M1L he co-curated In-Presentable Festival 2009 in Madrid and he also organizes The Living Room Festival. Recently, he has been appointed as Head of Program of the MA in Choreography at the University of Dance and Circus in Stockholm.
