Beppie Blankert Dansconcerten: Dubbelspoor

Between composer Louis Andriessen and dancer/choreographer Beppie Blankert, an intensive bond and deep personal connection developed during their collaboration on De Stijl in 1985. As a tribute to the composer (who passed away in 2021), Beppie Blankert Dansconcerten presents a new Dubbelspoor, the project he cherished. Created in 1986, this performance features Samuel Beckett’s Texts for Nothing #7, which perfectly aligns with the theme of ‘waiting.’

Everyone knows the feeling of wanting to disappear, to not be here in this moment, in this place. This can represent the passing of time but also the void before a decision is made. In Dubbelspoor, it manifests as a woman waiting at a desolate platform for a train that passes without stopping. But she is not alone. Who is the second woman who keeps disappearing? Is what we see even real? The work expresses passion without sentimentality; it’s not a concrete story, but rather threads of thought. The use of shadow melodies and mirroring in both the music and visuals further enhances this exploration.

The original cast (Beppie Blankert, Caroline Dokter) has returned to re-explore Dubbelspoor 39 years later. Two monitors show footage of the small station, the passing trains, and both performers from 1986. On stage today, the waiting continues. Over the years, the fluid mobility of the performers has shifted to contemplation and reflection. As Bob Dylan once sang, “I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now.”