ZviDance

Compagnie Thor (Belgium)

Based in Brussels , Belgium , Compagnie Thor was founded in 1990 by Thierry Smits.  The company's work explores, often in an eclectic manner, the bonds between mystic and erotic, the ambiguity between the sacred and corporal, and questions the metaphysical problems of the individual's state of mind and emotion.  The company has produced over twenty dance productions, among these: Eros délétère (1991), CyberchristSoirée dansante (1995), Corpse (1998), Red Rubber Balls (1999), Richard of York Gave Battle In Vain (2001), LÂme au diable (1994/2002), Dionysos' Last Day/Stigma (2003) and Reliefs d'un banquet (2004).  Since its foundation, Compagnie Thor has been supported by several public institutions in Belgium , and the company's growing influence as a major part of Belgium 's dance landscape has been acknowledged by an increasing support from its primary funding source, the Ministry of French-speaking Community.

Gathering excellent performing artists from around the world, the company has established its reputation touring extensively throughout Belgium and abroad, notably in France , the Netherlands , Italy , Spain , the UK , Hungary , Croatia , Egypt , Morocco , Poland and Germany .

Created in March 2005 D'ORIENT was born out of the choreographer's fascination for the Middle East Orient and was created after a series of voyages to the Arab world.  From these trips he brought back images flooded with light, filled with sensuality and generosity, beauty and disorder.  This performance is a subjective version and is not an attempt at political analysis.  Its purpose is above all aesthetic. Through three different scenes, eight male dancers tell us of the roles, relations, and codes of a traditional patriarchal society but also of a modern and urbanized world.  The dancing body is also studied as a form of writing and subjected, for example, to the characteristic rules of oriental structures such as the arabesque and calligraphy. 

D’Orienthas toured all over Europe as well as in Africa ( Morocco and Egypt ). It will be presented for the first time in the US April 4-5, 2008 at Miami Dade College , FL. The piece is available for touring in the US in the summer of 08 and in 08/09.

Last June, Compagnie THOR was honored to be selected and to participate in the pitch session of the ISPA conference that took place in Brussels .

'...between trance, meditation and sensuality:  a perfect mixture of oriental influences and contemporary dance."  Le Soir, Jean Marie Wynants

"D'ORIENT is a homage to the Muslim-Arab world and the Middle East .  A resolutely dignified and respectful homage, imprinted with sensuality, warmth and generosity. (...) A cresendo that takes its time to captivate you, but never holds you prisoner.  A work without flamboyant splendour, but instead with a thousand and one hot little flames.  Pure Dance.  A contemporary ballet.  A whole that leaves you like a ray of light, soft and airy..."  Zone 02 AB

"Belgian choreographer Thierry Smits' new work is as irresistibly sensual and colorful as it's title suggests.  Taking its cues from the folkdance of the Sahara and Middle East , the work also includes sly post modern nods at cinema, notably David Lean's Lawrence of Arabian and Pasolini's Arbian Nights." The Bulletin