Wim Vandekeybus

Wim Vandekeybus (b. 1963) is a Belgian choreographer, dancer, filmmaker, and photographer who founded his company Ultima Vez in the mid-1980s. He burst onto the international scene with his debut piece What the body does not remember(1987), which won a Bessie Award for groundbreaking work; his second production, Les porteuses de mauvaises nouvelles (1989), received the same distinction. Over the past few decades, Vandekeybus has established himself as a trailblazer in contemporary dance, creating performances that challenge boundaries both at home and abroad.

Known for his visceral and high-energy style, Vandekeybus explores the clash between intuition and intellect, the physical and the emotional, and the tension between individuals and groups. Central to his work is the idea of how humans respond to extreme situations—what he calls “the moment of catastrophe.” Despite these intense themes, he also weaves elements of humor and playfulness into his choreography, showcasing an ever-present duality that lies at the heart of his performances.

Throughout his career, Vandekeybus has pursued a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating music, film, and theatrical narrative into his dance works. He has collaborated with renowned musicians, including David Byrne, Marc Ribot, and Trixie Whitley, and created short films such as Blush (2004) and Monkey Sandwich (2013) that often stand on their own. Always seeking new forms, his work has evolved from purely physical explorations to more elaborate narratives, exemplified by adaptations of classical tragedies and collaborations with contemporary writers. Even as he expands his storytelling scope, Vandekeybus’s bold, dynamic choreography remains rooted in the raw power of the moving body.

Maria Kolegova

Maria Kolegova is a Russian-Belgian dancer and teacher who began her ballet training at the age of five. She went on to study contemporary dance at the School of Contemporary Dance in Yekaterinburg, supported by the Centre of Contemporary Art. In 2004, she performed a solo by L. Aleksandrova at a contemporary dance competition in Seoul, South Korea, where she won the gold medal.

From 2007 until 2012, after graduating from the Theatrical Academy, Kolegova was a member of the Russian Chamber Ballet “Moskva” in Moscow. During this period, she collaborated with prominent choreographers such as Martin Forsberg, Andrea Boll, Régis Obadia, Paul Selwyn Norton, and Nikita Dmitrievsky, contributing to works like Terraclinium (N. Dmitrievsky) and If mushrooms would grow in the mouth (A. Boll). Her diverse performance background led to continued experimentation with various dance techniques, martial arts, and yoga.

Since 2012, Kolegova has been performing with choreographer Wim Vandekeybus’s Ultima Vez, dancing in notable pieces such as What the body does not remember (2013), Mockumentary of a contemporary savior (2017), and Hands do not touch your precious Me (2021). Alongside her performance career, she is actively involved in pedagogical work, teaching workshops, company classes, and assisting in multiple creations and training programs across Europe and Russia. Through her artistic and educational pursuits, Kolegova continues to expand her creative horizons and foster the next generation of dancers.