Pre-jury 2025

Alexander Vantournhout

Alexander Vantournhout (born in Brussels, 1989) is choreographer of Not Standing, a Belgium-based circus and dance company.
He studied single wheel and juggling at ESAC (Ecole Supérieure des Arts du Cirque) and contemporary dance at P.A.R.T.S. (Performing Arts Research and Training Studios) in Brussels.
His physical language is influenced by a varied education and diverse working experiences. However, it is characterized by two constants: his exploration of the creative and kinetic potential in physical limitations, and the interaction or boundary between performer and object.
Since 2014 he has created more than 10 shows, ranging from solo’s to group pieces, which have been touring intensely in Europe and beyond. His shows have been awarded several times and in 2024 he received the Ultima, Belgium’s highest recognition for performing arts. He is artist in residence at arts centre VIERNULVIER in Ghent (BE) and associate artist of le CENTQUATRE in Paris (FR).

Polina Skarga

Polina Skarha, originally from Ukraine, currently nurturing her art path in Netherlands.
She is coming from contemporary dance scene, but along the years her style grows in experimenting with forms and language expressions, accordingly to her own personal growing as a person, opening her heart as a part of Universe. That brought Polina to exploring her own method, which she names “revelation movement method”, during which she aims to explore unique but simple movement of spirit in the body.

As a mover she opened up the battle platforms for herself as a place to experiment and dance circle after circle – best challenging practice. But more and more Polina became interested in stage performances. For her the value is – to not perform (as try to show) but to be true self(which brings to the unity of souls). In March-July 2024 Polina was honoured to be a part of re-performing Marina Abramović works at Stedelijk museum, Amsterdam.

Mohamed Yusuf Boss

Mohamed Yusuf Boss is a talented dancer, choreographer, and theater maker, born in 1986 in Hargeisa, Somalia, and now based in Groningen. He draws inspiration from hip-hop culture and the “each one teach one” principle, which forms the core of his artistic vision. Under the name X_YUSUF_BOSS, he collaborates with creative producer Mark Fischer to create a platform that provides space for diverse stories, where everyone has a place to share their story.

In 2019, Mohamed was recognized with the Groninger Talent Award, a prestigious prize awarded by the province of Groningen and the Prins Bernhard Culture Fund. His influence in the cultural sector grew further when his 2022 performance LíX won the BNG Bank Culture Prize, an important award for young talent.

He has created several successful performances, including SHAN(2016), AFAR (2019), KÓW (2020), and LíX (2022). In addition, he created the performance LABAN in 2022 in collaboration with the renowned dance company Club Guy and Roni.

His latest work, TOBAN, which emerged after an exchange with South Africa, will premiere on November 9, 2024.

Astrid Boons

Astrid Boons (1988, Belgium), is a choreographer and performer. Astrid graduated from The Royal Ballet School of Antwerp (BE). She holds a BA Dance from Codarts (NL) and a BA of Arts (Honours) in Humanities (Art History and Philosophy) from the Open University (UK). As a dancer Astrid worked with Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, NDT 1, GöteborgsOperansDanskompani, NDT 2 , Dansgroep Amsterdam and Dansgroep Krisztina De Châtel.

Getting known in the European dance scene for her emotionally demanding pieces and her strongly embodied states, Boons’ creations offer a space to deeply experience the body as the site of boundaries and expansion between us and the world. She creates work with a distinctive female perspective foregrounding the subjective connectivity as a form of resistance, together with the continuous search for personal agency.
Alongside her work as a choreographer, Astrid is developing her movement practice which is derived from her choreographic research. She has taught in international companies and schools

Astrid is an associate artist with Korzo Theatre in The Netherlands between 2021-2025. In 2023 she premiered Khôra, for which the research residencies were held at Tanzplatform Rhein Main, Opera Ballet Flanders, The Norwegian Ballet and La Briqueterie. Khôra is currently touring internationally. In 2020 she made Crash for Dance Theatre Heidelberg. Other works include Do you believe me yet? (2022), Arise (2021), Fields (2019), Decay (2018), Vestige (2017) and Rhizoma (2016).