Nimble

In 2026, Alexander Vantournhout and his company Not Standing will embark on a new journey with Nimble, a bold choreography that explores the interplay between individual expression and collective unity. Nine dancers will share the stage, jumping both in synchrony and in solitude, finding each other at times to form a collective body, pulsing both together and separately. Constantly on the move, never standing still.

Inspired by the footwork of boxing, the movement language will focus on the lower body, emphasising a rhythmic exploration of balance, power and dissonance. Nimble will be searching for the equilibrium between unison and disharmony in a choreography that pulses to a rhythmical soundtrack. The dancers’ individual body rhythms will trigger their individual movements and will be brought together to find a collective pulse, thus co-creating a utopian unison echoing the Japanese precision walking.

Nimble marks a pivotal evolution in Vantournhout’s choreographic approach, shifting from his signature exploration of partnering (with objects and/or other bodies) to a more expansive relationship with space itself. With an eye towards larger stages, this production aims to elevate the physicality of the dancers and amplify the vibrational energy of a shared rhythm. At the same time, this new performance is the next step in Vantournhout’s ongoing quest to explore the counterpoint between music and movement, with a newly composed music score (that can be performed live on stage on request).