Make movement: towards solidarity and ethical art practices

Choreographers, working in Belgium, declare their solidarity with the call featured in the recent open letter from from 20 (former) employees of Jan Fabre, speaking about abusive behavior at the Troubleyn company. "We will no longer look the other way. We commit to a collective effort towards a healthy working environment across the performing arts field.”

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Last week, an open letter was published by rekto:verso in which 20 (former) employees of Jan Fabre spoke about abusive behavior at the Troubleyn company, of which they were victims and witnesses.

This letter appears almost a year after the article, #Wetoo: What Dancers Talk About When They Talk About Sexism, in which dancers described routine abuses of power, often enabled by structural inequalities of the performing arts sector.

The recent open letter closes with the following call to arms: “We ask the artistic community to support and invest in this conversation. We ask the board of Troubleyn to take their responsibility. We ask the government and their institutions to also consider their role in holding individuals and organizations accountable.”

In order to solve the problems that exist in our sector, we must first name and acknowledge them fearlessly and openly.

We – choreographers working in the Belgian arts community – take this invitation very much to heart, and offer our full support and solidarity to all the performers and employees who have spoken out.

In order to solve the problems that exist in our sector, we must first name and acknowledge them fearlessly and openly. Embracing the diversity of our different choreographic practices, we want to state with a unified voice that respect and wellbeing for all collaborators is something we must all strive for at every stage of the production process.

It is a fact that sexism, sexual harassment and abuse of power exist in all parts of society, and unfortunately also in our field. Just as elsewhere in society, this can affect people whatever gender they may identify with, and whatever role they occupy in the sector, whether artistic, administrative or institutional.

We want to always strive towards working conditions in which the wellbeing of every collaborator is of the highest importance.

We must acknowledge that any position of leadership in a creative process can bear within it at least the potential for abuse of power. We want to distance ourselves from any form of such abuse and to always strive towards working conditions in which the wellbeing of every collaborator is of the highest importance. This is not a matter of limiting artistic freedom; it’s about creating a space where all are free to create without fear, pain and humiliation.

There are many in the sector who have made great efforts to work in ethically sound ways. There are models of good practice in the field on which we can build. We must accentuate and encourage good practice, while fearlessly facing up to where we have gone wrong.

Yet, we must acknowledge that we have been part of a system, sections of which have silently tolerated and even enabled reprehensible behaviours. We apologise for each and every time we have failed to show solidarity with our colleagues who have less power and/or privilege in this system. We will no longer look the other way.

We are open to the idea that decisions around the support that artists receive should factor in considerations of ethical practice

The last few days has seen a flurry of opinion. Lars Kwakkenbos has called for the art field to acknowledge and tackle abuse and harassment, no matter the risk of potential consequences. Ignaas Devisch adresses how art that challenges boundaries should be possible without being the result of a violent working environment. Petra Van Brabandt and Bieke Purnelle have written about how issues of gender equality, diversity, environmental sustainability and ethical practice can be woven into the processes of how potential work is judged and funded, as is the case in other countries. Over the past year, the Engagement Arts movement has been instrumental in trying to bring these issues to light, and to support solidarity among dancers in the field.

We echo all these voices. This is the beginning of a debate that we must now all fully engage with.

• We must take responsibility for our sector – and all its mistakes – without fear of potential consequences.

• We are open to the idea that decisions around the support that artists receive should factor in considerations of ethical practice, and are open to this topic being a point of interest for the advice commissions.

• We want to collaborate with the government and oKo in finding tools to develop and ‘measure’ good practice – without descending to ‘box ticking’ exercises, but making a serious attempt to act from a transparent understanding of professional ethics, respect and integrity, and to support and learn from models of good practice.

• We must support, protect and encourage those who have the courage to come forward with their stories. Always and without fail. Even when it means facing harsh truths and atoning for our own shortcomings.

It is essential that this wake-up call is followed by action. We are open to discussing what form this action may take, but we propose a series of meetings to create a set of clear principles to guide good practice – and to conclude within the next six months at the latest.

We call upon other fields of work in Belgium and beyond to likewise take their responsibility.

We commit to a collective effort towards a healthy working environment across the performing arts field. We call upon arts institutions, who often work in a less precarious situation than independent artists, to support us in these commitments. And we call upon other fields of work in Belgium and beyond to likewise take their responsibility.

Collectively we acknowledge and address the urgent issues that the international #metoo-movement has brought to light. Together we can end the culture of silence.

We can only take care of our art scene when we take care of all the people involved in making the art.

“Together we will no longer support a culture of hypocrisy and denial in the name of art. Together we will work towards a more inclusive understanding of artistic freedom.”

Adaline Anobile
Adva Zakai
Agostina D’Alessandro
Albert Quesada
Alexander Vantournhout
Alma Söderberg
Anabel Schellekens
Andrew Hardwidge
Angela Rabaglio
Anneleen Keppens
Anne-Lise Brevers
Arkadi Zaides
Asher Lev
Ayelen Parolin
Bára Sigfúsdóttir
Barthélémy Manias-Valmont
Begüm Erciyas
Benjamin Vandewalle
Billie Hanne
Bryana Fritz
Caroline Dhaese
Charlotte Goesaert
Charlotte Vanden Eynde
Chloé Geers
Claire Croizé
Colline Etienne
Daniel Linehan
David Weber-Krebs
Dolores Hulan
Eddie Oroyan
Eleanor Bauer
Elisa Evelyn
Elisabeth Borgermans
Eric Minh Cuong Castaing
Esse Vanderbruggen
Etienne Guilloteau
Evelyne Van Hecke
Femke Gyselinck
Filip Van Huffel
Florencia Demestri
Franck Chartier
Gabriela Carrizo
Gabriel Schenker
Gaël Santisteva
Gaëtan Rusquet
Gala Moody
Grace Ellen Barkey
Harold Henning
Heike Langsdorf
Heine Avdal
Helder Seabra
Igor Shysko
Ine Claes
Inga Huld Hákonardóttir
Ingrid Berger Myhre
Iris Bouche
Jan Lauwers
Jan Martens
Jason Respillieux
Javier Suarez
Johann Fourrière
Joke Laureyns
Jonas Chéreau
Jonathan Burrows
Jordi Vidal
Jorge Guevara
Juliane von Crailsheim
Julie Bougard
Justine Maxelon
Karine Ponties
Karin Verbruggen
Karolien Verlinden
Kate McIntosh
Katie Vickers
Katrijn De Cooman
Kevin Jean
Kinga Jaczewska
Koen Augustijnen
Koen De Preter
Kwint Manshoven
Lara Barsacq
Léa Drouet
Leslie Mannès
Lien Meer
Lilia Mestre
Lisa Vereertbrugghen
Lisbeth Gruwez
Lise Vachon
Lisi Estaras
Liz Kinoshita
Louise Baduel
Louis Vanhaverbeke
Louise Vanneste
Luce Goutelle
Maarten Seghers
Manon Santkin
Marc Vanrunxt
Marcos Simoes
Marcus Baldemar
Marielle Morales
Maya Oliva
Meg Stuart
Mehdi-Georges Lahlou
Mercedes Dassy
Meri Pajunpää
Mette Edvardsen
Mette Ingvartsen
Meytal Blanaru
Micaël Florentz
Michiel Reynaert
Michiel Vandevelde
Mirte Bogaert
Mohamed Toukabri
Moya Michael
Nathalie Rozanes
Nelle Hens
Néstor García Diaz
Nick Coutsier
Ondine Cloez
Olympe Tits
Peter Jasko
Peter Savel
Pieter Ampe
Pol Coussement
Radouan Mriziga
Regina Janzen
Rósa Ómarsdóttir
Sabine Molenaar
Salva Sanchis
Samuel Lefeuvre
Sanja Mitrovic
Sara Manente
Sara Sampelayo
Sara Vanderieck
Sarah Bostoen
Seppe Baeyens
Serge Aimé Coulibaly
Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui
Sidney Leoni
Siet Raeymaekers
Simona Soledad
Sofie Saller
Stav Yeini
Stef Meul
Steven Michel
Susan Quinn Eckart
Tamara Alegre
Talitha De Decker
Tamara Bacci
Thomas Hauert
Thomas Steyaert
Tuur Marinus
Ugo Dehaes
Ula Sickle
Varinia Canto Vila
Vera Tussing
Victor Pérez Armaro
Wim Vandekeybus
Youness Khoukhou
Yukiko Shinozaki
Zoltan Vakulya

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Choreographers who would like to sign as well, write an email to a.choreographers.statement@gmail.com