Aglaja
Encyclopedia
Aglaja is a dance theater from Bruges
, Belgium
.
Founded in the late 1960s by the visionary choreographer and teacher Jan Dewulf, it is still one of Bruges most important cultural ambassadors. Over the years the ballets of Aglaja have given hundreds of representations all over Europe: from Spain to Sweden and from Estonia and Russia to Italy.
Fifty young dancers, all students, create new dimensions with the aid of flags, costumes, stills and expressions combined in dances. Rhythm, dynamics and movement are the means of expression for this group, together with the feeling of joy and enthusiasm. It is more than just a dance company, it is also a social project, an educational project of growth, of friendship and very rich experiences.
The dance company performs at many occasions, from the world famous Holy Blood Procession in Bruges to the Carnaval in Nice. From the big stages in mainland Europe to charming, little towns all across Europe, Aglaja does perform everywhere with the same enthousiasm.
Jan Dewulf continues to work on this ever evolving project. He describes it as a piece of art that will never be finished. As director of several great events, such as the 1985 Pope Visit to Belgium, he attracted many thousands of people and brought them joy, by mean of his dancers.
The repertoire is mainly (light) classic music: from Bach
and Brahms
to Dvorak
and Ostyn, but also Let It Be
from The Beatles
is expressed by the dance company. The performance still amazes large audiences and international press.
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Founded in the late 1960s by the visionary choreographer and teacher Jan Dewulf, it is still one of Bruges most important cultural ambassadors. Over the years the ballets of Aglaja have given hundreds of representations all over Europe: from Spain to Sweden and from Estonia and Russia to Italy.
Fifty young dancers, all students, create new dimensions with the aid of flags, costumes, stills and expressions combined in dances. Rhythm, dynamics and movement are the means of expression for this group, together with the feeling of joy and enthusiasm. It is more than just a dance company, it is also a social project, an educational project of growth, of friendship and very rich experiences.
The dance company performs at many occasions, from the world famous Holy Blood Procession in Bruges to the Carnaval in Nice. From the big stages in mainland Europe to charming, little towns all across Europe, Aglaja does perform everywhere with the same enthousiasm.
Jan Dewulf continues to work on this ever evolving project. He describes it as a piece of art that will never be finished. As director of several great events, such as the 1985 Pope Visit to Belgium, he attracted many thousands of people and brought them joy, by mean of his dancers.
The repertoire is mainly (light) classic music: from Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
and Brahms
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene...
to Dvorak
Antonín Dvorák
Antonín Leopold Dvořák was a Czech composer of late Romantic music, who employed the idioms of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia. Dvořák’s own style is sometimes called "romantic-classicist synthesis". His works include symphonic, choral and chamber music, concerti, operas and many...
and Ostyn, but also Let It Be
Let It Be (song)
"Let It Be" is a song by The Beatles, released in March 1970 as a single, and as the title track of their album Let It Be. It was written by Paul McCartney, but credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was their final single before McCartney announced his departure from the band...
from The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
is expressed by the dance company. The performance still amazes large audiences and international press.