VOICE NOISE

by Jan Martens

VOICE NOISE is inspired by Anne Carson’s essay “The Gender of Sound” (1992) in which she exposes how patriarchal culture has sought to silence women by ideologically associating female sound with monstrosity, disorder and death. In VOICE NOISE, some innovative, unknown and/or forgotten female voices from the past hundred years of music history are given a stage. With this, Jan Martens takes the next step in his efforts to shape an alternative canon.
Six dancers confront recordings in which the human voice can be heard in various guises: humming, soothing, shrieking, whispering, singing. Gradually they discover their own voice. Having worked with large groups in his recent productions – any attempt will end in crushed bodies and shattered bones and FUTUR PROCHE – Jan Martens returns to a production for a small ensemble of six dancers. He works with some dancers who have inspired him before (Steven Michel, Courtney May Robertson and Loeka Willems) and invites new faces (Sue- Yeon Youn, Elisha Mercelina and Mamadou Wagué). Jan Martens’ obsession with numbers, geometry and patterns meets the unique physical languages of his performers, leading to a rediscovered interest in dance itself: in detail and subtlety, in redefining grace and elegance. 

Tourdates

No upcoming shows

16.10.2025

Southbank Centre

London (UK)

15.10.2025

Southbank Centre

London (UK)

UK Premiere

11.06.2025

De Factorij / Periferik / Kaaitheater

Zaventem (BE)

28.05.2025

30cc / STUK

Leuven (BE)

27.05.2025

30cc / STUK

Leuven (BE)

06.05.2025

Le Parvis Scène Nationale Tarbes-Pyrénées

Tarbes (FR)

26.04.2025

Festspielhaus St. Pölten

St. Pölten (AU)

03.04.2025

De Warande

Turnhout (BE)

29.03.2025

Théâtre de Liège

Liège (BE)

28.03.2025

Théâtre de Liège

Liège (BE)

27.02.2025

La Halle aux Grains

Blois (FR)

Show more

Press

“Following his previous monumental, politically discursive pieces, Jan Martens has succeeded here in creating a work of great maturity in form and content, in which all contradictions seem to dissolve by themselves.”
Thomas Hahn, Tanz

“The technical virtuosity and astonishing mastery of the slightest movement – each one very different from the last – bring the metrical choreography to life, a choreography that is as tight as it is organically fluid, effortless, and inventive.”
Claudia Calhós, Expresso

“Robertson’s intense performance alone is reason enough to see this show. And hear it, of course.”
Fritz de Jong, Het Parool

“Seemingly simple in its construction, ‘Voice Noise’ reveals itself over the course of minutes to be incredibly rich in its choreography.”
Philippe Noisette, Les Echos

“Infinitely virtuosic: the dance slips gently into the folds of the intimate experience of listening.”
Ariane Bavelier, Le Figaro

Credits

CHOREOGRAPHY Jan Martens
CO-CREATION AND PERFORMANCE Elisha Mercelina, Steven Michel, Courtney May Robertson, Mamadou Wagué, Loeka Willems, Sue-Yeon Youn and/or Pierre Adrien Touret, Zora Westbroek
MUSIC FULL LIST HERE
REPETITOR Zora Westbroek, Naomi Gibson
LIGHTING DESIGN Jan Fedinger
COSTUME DESIGNER Sofie Durnez
SCENOGRAPHY Joris van Oosterwijk
SOUND TECHNOLOGY Vincent Philippart, Valentijn Weyn, Jo Heijens
VOICE COACHING Ine Claes, Maxime Montjotin
EXECUTION COSTUME AND SCENOGRAPHY Théâtre de Liège
STAGE Malick Cissé, Sien Wils
ARTISTIC ADVICE Marc Vanrunxt, Rudi Meulemans and Femke Gyselinck
TOUR TECH TEAM Elke Verachtert, Valentijn Weyn, Vincent Philippart
PRODUCTION GRIP – Anneleen Hermans, Rudi Meulemans, Lize Meynaerts, Klaartje Oerlemans, Jennifer Piasecki, Sylvie Svanberg, Ruud Van Moorleghem, Nele Verreyken
INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION A Propic – Line Rousseau, Marion Gauvent, Lara van Lookeren
CO-PRODUCTION La Comédie de Clermont-Ferrand, Maison de la danse de Lyon – Pôle européen de production, De Singel international arts center, Théâtre de Liège, Julidans Amsterdam, Le Manège – Scène Nationale de Reims, Romaeuropa festival, DDD – Festival Dias da Dança – Teatro Rivoli – Porto, Scène Nationale de Forbach, Charleroi danse – center chorégraphique de Wallonie – Bruxelles, Festspielhaus St-Pölten, Tanzhaus nrw Düsseldorf, Théâtre de la Ville – Paris, Festival d’Automne à Paris, Équinoxe – Scène Nationale de Châteauroux, Theater Rotterdam, Perpodium
RESIDENCIES La Comédie de Clermont-Ferrand (FR), DE SINGEL (Antwerp, BE), Charleroi danse – center chorégraphique de Wallonie – Bruxelles (BE)
WITH THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF the Flemish Government, the Tax Shelter of the Belgian Federal Government through BNPPFFF