Traces of the carnival celebrations in Binche, a former industrial region of Belgium, can be traced back to the 14th century. It is part of the continent-wide pagan-related rites celebrating the end of winter. The festival was recognised by UNESCO as an ‘Oral and Immaterial Patrimony of Humanity’ in 2003. But to the inhabitants of […]
This is just the start… People are getting into the mood, getting ready for the climax of this next tuesday when the ‘Gilles de Binche’ will beat the rhythm of the drums with their wooden clogs, their traditional costume stuffed with straw and wearing their ostrich feather hats.
Second day of carnival related events. This time in Binche, the cradle of carnival for the French-speaking part of Belgium. The carnival festivities in Binche, dating back hundreds of years, were rightfully registered as a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity” by UNESCO in 2003. The whole city vibrates for months preceding […]
In the ongoing quest of finding out if Belgium is still around or still makes sense, this month of February will focus on a series of carnivals in and around Binche. On Saturday the various brotherhoods and carnival associations were out in the streets of La Louvière for the ‘Soumonces en musique’. More on ‘This […]
Now this is the REAL thing: the hard training at the grounds of the ‘brodal serei’ boxers from the RCAF trained by former World Champion E’Phoutang, the incessant kicks with the knees, the elbows, the sweat, the sighs and screams, the pain, the bruised muscles, the smell of rotting boxing gloves. All things which inspired […]
Emmanuèle Phuon, a Brussels based choreographer with Cambodian roots and creator of the ‘Khmeropédies’ trilogy, has only one week left to finish her new choreography inspired by ‘brodal serei’, the Cambodian version of kickboxing. Saran, a professional boxer, has been coaching the 3 dancers from the Amrita Performing Arts organisation, Khon Chansithyka (Mo), Nget Rady […]
About 100 garment factory workers from the Manhattan Textile and Garment Corp., located in Kampong Cham province, travelled to Phnom Penh to hold a protest in front of the U.S. Embassy, requesting the U.S. put pressure on the U.S. owner of the factory to comply a ruling by the Cambodian Arbitration Council which demanded union […]
Emmanuèle Phuon is now past the middle of her month-long rehearsal with the dancers from Amrita of ‘Brodal Serei’, a choreography where contemporary dance meets the Cambodian version of kickboxing. The arrival of Lim How Ngean, dramaturgist and choreographer himself, gives her the distanced view needed to bring the piece to its essence.