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Sabbath

Under the dense foliage, in the mystical glow of the full moon, three figures come together for an enchanting ritual. Far from the norms of society, a play of light and darkness unfolds, a macabre dance against the direction of the clock, fueled by demonic energy. This is where the Sabbath takes place - a night of magic, mystery and transformation.

Sabbath is an ode to the outsider, a celebration of the queerness and power of witchcraft. In this dance performance, choreographer Niek Wagenaar and his dance company Nymphs revise the traditional image of the witch. The witch is no longer a figure of fear and exclusion, but a symbol of empowerment, resistance and self-discovery. The witches' Sabbath is a safe space where everyone can be themselves, where identity and community are celebrated.

Behold the Sabbath, where boundaries blur and magic is in the air. To be entered at your own risk, for when night falls, the witch awakens.

“The potentially transgressive, antinomian and outsider qualities of ‘witch’ are reflected in ‘queer,’ in that both words are reclaimed, recovered and reinvented, not as derogatory epithets but instead as identities of celebration, empowerment, transformation and resistance.” - Julian Vayne, modern witch 

This work will premiere in May 2025 at Karavaan Festival. You can find the full list of planned performances here.

Choreography: Niek Wagenaar

Dance: Lisa de Faria, Filippo Gualandris, Linde Wagemakers

Music: Tom van Wee

Vocals: Sophie Prins

Set & light design: Rodrigo Ribeiro

Costumes: Polina Skaia

Understudy: Nina Keijzer

Outside eye: Jasper van Luijk

Made possible by: ICK Dans Amsterdam, Karavaan, De Schuur, Makershuis Alkmaar, De Landing, Theater Ins Blau, Gemeente Alkmaar, Gravin van Bylandt Stichting, Janivo Stichting, Dioraphte Stichting, Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst

Special thanks to: Swapcult, Suzy Blok, Sophie Cohlen, Lisa van den Burg