The festivities took place at the stage of the Kees van Baaren hall in the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. The stage was screened from the audience with a large white drape. During the first half hour of the party, while the visitors were coming in, the space was divided by two black drapes. In these two separate spaces the atmosphere could not have been more different: on the one side it was 'cool' with blue lights, on the other side it was 'warm' with red lights. Pupils were not supposed to go from one side to the other, and soon there was a division amongst the party goers as well: the younger pupils were on the 'cool' side; the older ones on the 'warm' side.
The opening act was a video projection in both spaces of a group improvisation made by group I. This video with the theme 'storm' had been made in the previous weeks and edited in one of the dance studio’s with the whole group. The images of this improvisation were supplemented with images of trees blowing in the wind and other nature and atmospheric scenes, collected by the pupils. While the video was being shown, members of the group (musicians and dancers) performed the improvisation again amongst the party goers. This act received a lot of attention from the performer's fellow pupils, who by then had recovered from the shock of the separate spaces.
The opening act had a spectacular finale when the drapes between the separated spaces were lifted and six pupils appeared from underneath, performing a Brazilian dance. This dance was a beautiful move from the 'serious' improvisation project to the party and undoubtedly made the pupils very famous in their own school. The DJ got the party going with a powerful dance tune and the crowds immediately started dancing. It was a great succes! The other acts were spread out over the evening with 30 to 45 minutes in between. Group II made an intriguing play of silhouettes performed by two dancers, that was reflected larger than life on one of the big screens around the dance floor.
Half an hour later it was time for the main act of group II: a dance routine performed by 7 penguins. With help from Thom Stuart the pupils (5 dancers, a violinist and a painter) did their own choreography. The music was a computer editing of seabird sounds (played by a clarinetist) mixed with other sounds, put together by one of the pupils. The strangeness of the outfits and the music were infectious and the audience responded with great enthusiasm. The final act of the evening was performed by Robin, a percussionist who was also responsible for the organisation of the festivities. He chose an act that would not interfere too much with the 'flow' of the evening: everyone who wanted to go on dancing could do so. Robin was drumming at the back of the hall (the screen was raised for this purpose) while bright lights accompanied the specially selected song. Robin and his instruments were projected on the large screens at the back. The images were edited under guidance of teachers of the interfaculty 'Beeld en Geluid' (Image and Sound).
Back to first page Young Talent project Royal Conservatoire