Her artistic background : Krump, contemporary dance and traditional Filipino dance

Dance has always been part of my life. From an early age, it was an obvious way for me to exist and express myself. I started dancing at the age of six, wherever I could: at home and at school. This passion led my parents to enroll me in a dance school, where I discovered different styles of dance: contemporary, classical ballet, jazz… 

When I was a child, I also took part in traditional Filipino dance and events organized by the Filipino community. These moments of sharing strengthened my bond with my roots and enriched my exploration of traditional Filipino dance. Later, I entered a dance academy in the Netherlands, before joining several contemporary dance companies in Brussels, including Anton Lachky Company and Ultima Vez.

Three years ago, my artistic trajectory took a decisive turn with the discovery of krump. I’d long been fascinated by this culture, spending hours watching battles on YouTube, admiring dancers like Tight Eyez and Mijo. But it took me a long time before I dared to take the plunge. It was during a krump battle at Zinnema that I felt the raw energy of krump, its intensity and the community spirit it exuded. It was a revelation. As a contemporary dancer, I didn’t dare take the plunge into krump. I didn’t even know where to take classes. So I contacted Hendrickx Ntela for private lessons, and today I’m part of his fam. In krump, a “fam” is a group of krumpers united around a “Big Homie”, who acts as a mentor. My “Big”, Hendrickx, guides us in our krump practice and shares her experience with her “Lil Homies”, creating a real family spirit.

I really started by testing just to see what it’s like. Is this the discipline for me? I never expected it to have such a profound impact on my life. 

What inspired you to start dancing and what is your artistic style?

My choreographic language is a lively mix of all my influences: contemporary dance, traditional Filipino dance, krump, but also martial arts and floorwork. My style is marked by my explosive, dynamic side, with particular attention paid to contrasts and textures of movement. 

I also like to work on oppositions: femininity and masculinity, fragility and power, and the Eastern and Western worlds. This creates harmony, which is also interesting because it’s nourished by very opposite elements. I think my dance style is really just me.

Krump, in particular, has allowed me to reconnect with my Filipino roots. I discovered that there’s a big community of krumpers in the Philippines and that reinforced my sense of belonging. This style has become much more than just a form of expression for me: it’s a link between my roots and my multicultural identity.

From Gravity to Grace: my new creation

In my solo “From Gravity to Grace“, I take the audience on an emotional journey where I return to my roots in an attempt to understand, transmit and sublimate them. It’s an artistic quest to create an identity where different styles, dances, cultures and traditions can coexist. I try to fully embrace all these forms that are part of me.  

Even though these styles are very distinct, traditional Filipino dance is fluid and graceful, while krump is rather raw and powerful. They share common points, such as the importance of the hands in expressing movement. It’s this interplay of contrasts and resonances that I emphasize in my show, creating moments where the styles clash, but also others where they naturally intertwine.

This solo is a project close to my heart. It’s a very personal quest, and to be able to share it with an audience means a great deal to me. It’s truly the project of my life, a reflection of everything I am. Going on stage alone makes me more vulnerable, but at the same time, I feel ready to share everything I’ve discovered, explored and felt. I can’t wait for the premiere!

What emotions do you want to convey in a show?

For me, it’s essential to have real contact with the audience, to create a bond with them and transmit emotions. My show tells a personal story, that of my multicultural identity. But beyond that, it’s also a universal story.  

In my show, I ask the profoundly universal question “Who am I? The message I want to get across is that multicultural identity can sometimes be accompanied by confusion, friction, conflict and even rejection, but there is also an enormous amount of beauty and strength. Above all, my show is a tribute to multicultural identity. So I invite the audience to take an emotional journey, to feel and experience emotion. Maybe they won’t understand everything, but the important thing is how they feel.  Everyone perceives them in their own way, and that’s fine. My show leaves room for interpretation, offering everyone a source of inspiration, motivation or personal resonance.

What challenges did you face as a dancer, and how did you overcome them?

I think the biggest challenge for me today is the transition from dancer to choreographer. I’ve been part of a lot of companies, and it’s a totally different experience.  When you dance for a company, you can concentrate solely on the artistic process. But as a choreographer, there are so many other aspects to manage: production, finding partners, budgeting, planning, building the team… All things you don’t necessarily think about at first, and which I’ve had to learn to master.  

Fortunately, I can count on invaluable collaborations. For example, Get Down helps me with the distribution. I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by a team that supports me in all these aspects requiring specific expertise. This allows me to evolve in this field while remaining focused on the artistic side.

Future projects: Do you have any future projects other than From gravity to grace?

For the moment, I’m starting with a solo, but this experience makes me want to keep creating. In the future, I’d like to explore other formats, perhaps starting with a duet with another dancer, then moving on to a group piece. That would be a great continuity.  Being alone in the studio is a precious experience, but I also feel the urge to share this process with other dancers. Working in a collective brings a different dynamic, and I’m curious to see how it could enrich my artistic work.

Anna is pleased to announce that her premiere will take place on April 3, 2025 at the STUK in Leuven, with a second date scheduled for April 10, 2025 at the Senghor at the Maison de la culture in Etterbeek and a third date on April 23, 2025 at the Corso in Antwerp-Berchem. A wonderful adventure that will soon become a reality!