Jan Martens, Sweat Baby Sweat

“Dismantles theatrical mechanics and the desire for entertainment, to reclaim the stage as a place of encounter between human and human.”—De Standaard (Belgium)

Flemish choreographer Jan Martens is fast earning a reputation in Europe as a talent to watch. His intriguing work thoroughly mines the tight parameters of his chosen movement material while subtly questioning the nature of performance and its complicit relationship with the audience. To offer a wider perspective of Martens’s distinctive work, we’re presenting two of his best-known pieces: the duet Sweat Baby Sweat, with its push-pull dynamic, and the literally breathtaking ensemble work The Dog Days Are Over. See them both here on the only US stop of their upcoming North American tour.

In Sweat Baby Sweat, Martens takes as his point of departure the most clichéd theme in dance: the relationship between a man and a woman. He traces the arc of their lifetime together in this physically demanding and intimate examination of a couple who just can’t let each other go. Desire and resistance, love and longing, emotional strain and codependence are all at play in this highly charged, close-up view of two deeply intertwined lives.

See both pieces for an in-depth introduction to Martens’s fresh approach, which successfully strikes a balance between storytelling and conceptualism. He’s one of the most fascinating new talents to emerge from the European dance scene—and another international innovator you can discover this fall at the Wex.

Note: There will be no late seating for this performance.