Forgotten

A building that is forgotten, unsure of its function, awaiting a new direction. The walls crumbling down, a remaining trace of the past that might guide the future. Meanwhile, outside, time continues, while life finds a way and grows to give new energy to the emptiness. Soon, it will be embraced by the scaffolding like a cocoon. And the light that falls through the stained-glass windows will shine on the transformation, revealing its new purpose.

I used the building as an analogy for feeling alone and struggling to reach out or connect with a broader context. The crumbling inner walls mirror the parts that need repair. Yet, the ferns inside the building reflect new sprouts emerging, awaiting the sunshine. I have created a creature, a person forgotten in the ruins, who searches for freedom. Eventually it grows wings that allow them to leave and re-explore the exernal world.

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Concept, choreography and dance: Niels Claes

Music: Rafaele Andrade

Costume design: Merel van Erpers Roijaards

Producer: Flujas Collectief | Body Analogy Dance Theatre

Premiere: Steyl, the Netherlands, 2025

Duration: 15 min.

The performance was created during the residency ‘De Arcade’ in June, 2025, in the old monastery of Steyl, near Venlo, the Netherlands. A week full of exploration in the inspiring old monastery where I created “Forgotten”.