PONI Collective

BAND, 2003 - 2009

PONI Collective members and collaborators: Rodolphe Coster, Lieven Dousselaere, Marc Lallemand, Kate McIntosh, Erna Omarsdottir, Frank Pay, Gudni Gunnarsson, Sinusjog, Charles Blondeel, Eric Tatepokembo, Jesse van Bouwel, Sylvi Kretzschmar, Julie Andrée T., Marco Lhommel, Xavier van Werch, Kwinten Lavigne, Claude Blondeel...

THE BACTERIAL TOUR:

Performers and makers: Rodolphe Coster, Lieven Dousselaere, Gudni Gunnarsson, Sinusjog, Marc Lallemand, Kate McIntosh, Erna Omarsdottir, Frank Pay, Eric Tatepokembo
Video: Jesse van Bouwel, Light: Marco Lhommel, Sound: Xavier van Werch, Assistant Scenographer: Kwinten Lavigne, Grafic: PUNCT.
Production: In Utero VZW, Margarita Production
Coproduction: Kaaitheater (Bruxelles), Monty (Antwerpen), Halles de Schaerbeek (Bruxelles), Ballet Preljocaj
With the support of: Vlaamse Gemeenschap, Vlaamse Gemmenschapscommissie

SOMA SEMA:

Performers and makers : Charles Blondeel, Rodolphe Coster, Lieven Dousselaere, Gudni Gunnarson, Sylvi Kretzschmar, Marc Lallemand, Kate McIntosh, Erna Omarsdottir, Frank Pay, Julie Andrée T., Jesse van Bauwel.
Research/artistic advisor: Claude Blondeel, Music: The PONI collective, Light: Marc Lhommel, Sound: Xavier Van Wersch, Costumes: Ran Shabang (ISR)
Production: In Utero vzw
Executive Production: Margarita Production vzw.
Coproduction: Kaaitheater (B), Sophiensaele (D), Centre Georges Pompidou (F), La Villette (F), Buda-Kortrijk (B)
In association with: Recyclart (B), Monty (B), WP Zimmer (B), Les Halles de Schaerbeek (B)
With the support of: Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie

PONI is an art collective initiated in Brussels in 2003. The collective consists of dancers, visual artists, musicians and writers.

PONI has had many members, including long time collaborators Rodolphe Coster, Lieven Dousselaere, Marc Lallemand, Kate McIntosh, Erna Omarsdottir, Gudni Gunnarsson, Charles Blondeel, Jesse van Bouwel, Marco Lhommel, Xavier van Werch, and initiator Frank Pay.

PONI takes on the various codes, symbols and methods of different artistic discplines and thus creates performances that examine the outer limits of the stage and related art forms, as well as the possible shifts within these disciplines.

PONI operates at the molecular level, like a fungus speckling the skeleton of art or like a transformer with embryonic vivacity. The cast is international and most participants are professionally active within companies or projects that perform worldwide.

PONI has a unique methodology when approaching new projects and regularly appeals to guest artists of divergent natures.

Between 2003 and 2009, PONI produced and toured two major performances - The Bacterial Tour (2004) and Soma Sema (2006), as well as performing internationally as a band, mounting several exhibitions, and recording an album.

click here for PONI on myspace

Project 1 - The Bacterial Tour (2004): a hyperactive performance with a powerful live soundtrack. Project 1 is a performance in which identity, rituals and language are of central importance. Its theme is 'the deconstruction of a punk/rock band'.

19.10.2005 Le Lieu Unique, Brest (FR)

09.08.2005 ImpulsTanz, Vienna (AT)

05-06.08.2005 National Museum of Art

29.07.2005 Recyclart, Brussels (BE)

17.07.2005 Szene Salzburg, Salzburg (AT)

27-28.04.2005 Centre Pompidou, Paris (FR)

24-25.04.2005 HAU, Berlin (DE)

16-17.04.2005 Rotterdamse Schouwburg, Rotterdam (NL)

16.03.2005 Künstlerhaus Mousonturm, Frankfurt (DE)

26.02.2005 Brakke Grond, Amsterdam (NL)

10-11.11.2004 Centre Pompidou, Paris (FR)

30.10.2004 Klink & Bank, Rekjavik (IS)

16.10.2004 Künstlerhaus Mousonturm, Frankfurt (DE)

04.09.2004 Theater Festival Gent, Gent (BE)

10.07.2004 MDD Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens, Deurle (BE)

09.07.2004 Recyclart, Brussels (BE)

04-05.06.2004 Kaaistudio's, Brussels (BE)

28-29.05.2004 Monty, Antwerp (BE)

Soma Sema (2006): Poni turns its guns on theatre. The key words in this performance are Ritual, Illusion and Death. How does one dismantle the rituals and obsessions of theatre? And what remains of classical themes, codes and tricks? What is the point of those curtains? What if the theatre itself does a striptease? And what illusions do we cling to, no matter what the price?

17.11.2007 Les Grandes Traverses, Bordeaux (FR)

17.10.2007 Kiasma Theater, Helsinki (FI)

13.10.2007 - 14.10.2007 BIT Teatergarasjen, Bergen (NO)

23.06.2007 Kaaitheater, Brussels (BE)

23-24.01.2007 Brakke Grond, Amsterdam (NL)

13-17.01.2007 Sophiensaele, Berlin (DE)

13-14.12.2006 Centre Pompidou, Paris (FR)

21.10.2006 Kunstencentrum BUDA, Kortrijk (BE)

08.10.2006 - 10.10.2006 Monty, Antwerp (BE)

05.10.2006 - 07.10.2006 Kaaistudio's, Brussels (BE) - PREMIERE