Common Ground

In a duet, two equal dancers challenge each other, ultimately arriving at a relationship in reciprocity.

A ritualistic battleground for two dance greats, Common Ground is a choreographic game of chess. Ingrained rules are upturned by unexpected moves—intricate gambits, sacrifices and reactive attacks.
Common Ground is a journey inside the multi-faceted relationships we build with the world around us, the relationships we build with each other and where we find common ground to stand on. Performed by two Australian dance icons, this breathtaking duet has become a poetic study on similarity, equality, defining territory and shifting grounds, testing the tension between the support we need and the restrictions of codependency.

Choreographer Anouk van Dijk: ‘Fascinated by the feuds between political leaders on the national and international stage, and the public celebrations of their own reign, I explored the dynamics of power. This took me back to the 17th century, and the birth of ballet. In the court of Louis XIV, dance - for the first time in history - was staged as a spectacle used to solidify absolute monarchy, with King Louis dancing the lead role on his own. In a time where equality is more than ever on the political agenda, I imagined what would have happened if Louis XIV had been performing with an equally strong female in the lead. How would it have shaped our ideas around power and gender? What would have happened to the course of history, the way we fight our battles, value our societies and shape our humanity through art?’

About Anouk van Dijk
Anouk van Dijk is a Dutch choreographer, director and the creator behind Countertechnique. In 2012 she was appointed Artistic Director of the renowned Australian dance company, Chunky Move.
Between 1999 - 2012, she toured with her own Dutch company anoukvandijk dc extensively in the Netherlands and internationally. In 2012 she was awarded the Golden Swan, the Netherlands most prestigious dance accolade – in recognition of her outstanding artistic and academic contribution to dance in her home country. Her movement methodology Countertechnique has become known worldwide. Since 2019 Van Dijk works internationally as a free-lance choreographer, and is the Artistic Director of Countertechnique.