Kunsthal Rotterdam

 “In our diverse and complex world, nothing connects us more than dance — the moving body. It acknowledges our shared vulnerabilities and our common human condition. It also points us towards the possibility of a more inclusive world with limitless exchanges and a better understanding of new identities, a world in which simply everyone is a dancer.” -— Anouk Kruithof
 

Cultural phenomenon

In 2018, as part of her wide-ranging research project, Kruithof studied dance as a worldwide cultural phenomenon. With her team of helpers from around the world she collected 32 hours of video footage from YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, covering over a thousand dance styles from 196 different countries. Each of the researchers would enter the same key words into their search engines, but due to their geographical distribution they all arrived at different search results, varying from the Cuban abakúa and the Argentinian tango to the Zimbabwean sungura, and the German zwiefacher. They furthermore came across dancing animals and virtual figures, such as avatars and creatures from video games. 

Joy of living

The result is an exhilarating video installation with a four-hour choreography on each of its eight screens, featuring a wide variety of dance styles for solo dancers, pairs, and groups. The various forms of expression in this kaleidoscope of virtuosity, joie de vivre, and ritual performance make Universal Tongue an experience that is as moving as it is fascinating.

Be sure to visit the Universal Tongue website where the full scope of the project is extensively showcased.

OPEN EXTRA 

Monday 29 April 10.00 - 17.00 hrs.
This holiday the Kunsthal will be open extra on Monday, 29 April from 10:00 hrs until 17:00 hrs. 

CLOSED

Saturday 27 April 10.00 - 17.00 hrs.
On King's Day, Saturday, 27 April, the Kunsthal will be closed.