What does the body do when it laughs? It abandons itself. Initially, smiling, it will feel relaxed, but gradually it loses all control. The belly laugh pushes the body far beyond its boundaries. It can become monstrous, while alternatively, from a distance, evoking beauty. Melancholy, then, is just around the corner. The show presents the whole range of laughter. It explores the modulations of the laughing body, making its physical and psychic impact palpable for the spectator.
LISBETH GRUWEZ, associated artist to Le Quartz (Belgium)
She started classical ballet at the age of 6 and in 1991 she was admitted at the ’Stedelijk Instituut voor Ballet’ in Antwerp where she could combine a professional dance education with high school. Afterwards she studied contemporary dance at P.A.R.T.S. Since 1999 Lisbeth Gruwez has been working with Jan Fabre, performing in As Long As the World Needs a Warrior’s Soul, followed by Je suis sang, the production for the Cour d’Honneur in Avignon. In 2001 she starred in Pierre Coulibeuf’s film Les Guerriers de la beauté about Jan Fabre’s work. In 2002 she starred in Images of Affection for Needcompany, Jan Lauwers. In 2003 Lisbeth worked with Grace Ellen Barkey in Few Things and Cry Me a River by Riina Saastamoinen. Still in 2003 she danced in Foi, which was a production by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. In 2004 Jan Fabre created for and with her Quando l’uomo principale e una donna. She also participated in the installation l’Origine along with Peter Verhelst.
Together with Maarten Van Cauwenberghe she founded Voetvolk in 2006 and in 2007 they premiered with their first creation Forever Overhead. In 2008 Lisbeth danced with Melanie Lane in a creation by Arco Renz. That year she also had a leading role in Lost Persons Area, a movie by Caroline Strubbe. This motion picture was nominated for the Cannes film festival and for her role she was nominated as Best Female Actress at the Flemisch Movie Awards. Again in 2008 she created Birth of Prey, a performance which is still touring. In 2009 she choreographed and danced together with Juliette Lewis in a video-clip for her band Juliette & the Licks. In 2010 Lisbeth created her first group performance HeroNeroZero and played the leading role in a short movie by Silvia Defranc. In 2011 she created the performances L’Origine and It’s going to get worse and worse and worse, my friend which is actually on tour.
