Snakearms

In a world that slowly moves away from tactility, the handshake was one of the only remains as direct and real physical contact with the other. Since this handshake now has been replaced by an elbow, foot touch or even just a simple nod, Alexander Vantournhout and Emmi Väisänen created a duet, to remind us of the more tactile times from before.

Starting from this – rather formal – first body contact, Alexander and Emmi transform a simple handshake to an intricate hand-, arm- and limb-duet. Their bodies tangle up to a mishmash of arms and legs, and joints twist to an extent that the outside eye loses track of. Where one arm begins and another arm stops is no longer clear. The one leading is difficult to be differentiated from the one following. This results in a delicate balance where limbs and bodies mingle up in an inextricable and intimate knot.

"Snakearms as a film registration adds its own narrative to the staged version, through an intelligent use of sound as well as editing, focus and camera angle. At first, the camera clings to the hands, but then recedes further and further into the audience. You then see the entire stage, with its antique painted perspective backdrop of a forest. What the camera shows above all is that this backdrop and the stage frame together create the illusion of another world, an unspoilt forest landscape.” — jury het TheaterFestival 2021

🏆 Het TheaterFestival 2021

🏆 Cinedans Festival (Amsterdam)

🏆 Segal Center Film Festival (New York)

"Subtle image manipulation and montage broaden the meaning of the two dancers' exercises considerably. They focus the attention on something that has been forgotten in a society obsessed with identity and sex: that there is still such a thing as an original pleasure in the playful exploration of physical contact." — pzazz

Live performance credits

Concept: Alexander Vantournhout

Creation & performance: Emmi Väisänen & Alexander Vantournhout

Also live performed by: Esse Vanderbruggen

Costumes: Sofie Durnez & Anne-Catherine Kunz

Technics: Rinus Samyn 

Special thanks to: Sébastien Hendricks, Rudi Laermans, Axel Guérin

Company manager: Esther Maas

Production manager: Aïda Gabriëls

Photos: Bart Grietens

Alexander Vantournhout is artist in residence of Kunstencentrum VIERNULVIER in Gent, artiste associé at le CENTQUATRE Paris and Cirque-théâtre Elbeuf. Alexander is cultural ambassador of the city of Roeselare and supported by Fondation BNP Paribas for the development of his projects. 

A production by not standing.

Additional video credits

Music: Ben Bertrand

Movie directed by Alexander Vantournhout & Stanislav Dobak

DOP: Stanislav Dobak

Camera: Stanislav Dobak & Ryszard Karcz

Edit: Stanislav Dobak & Jamie Lee

Light: Bert Van Dijck

With the support of Kunstencentrum VIERNULVIER, Schouwburg Kortrijk, Podium 19 and the Flemish Government.