Win Vandekeybus at Fabbrica Europa with 'Go Figure Out Yourself'

Flemish choreographer Win Vandekeybus presented 'Go Figure Out Yourself' at the Festival Fabbrica Europa in Florence, performed by his company Ultima Vez. The piece features five diverse performers—Sadé Alleyne, Maria Kolegova, Hugh Stanoer, Kit King, and Tim Bohaerts—with dramaturgy by Aïda Gabriëls. The title combines the classical injunction 'Know thyself' with a contemporary imperative against media-induced torpor and unawareness. The performance involves audience participation, breaking the fourth wall and forcing attendees to move, choose directions, and engage physically. Vandekeybus's signature style blends acrobatics, instinct, and conflict, aiming to create collective yet ephemeral experiences that highlight the potential for change through minimal participation. The finale leaves microphones with the audience as performers disappear, passing the torch of action. The work critiques militaristic rhetoric and the invention of conflicts, advocating for a 'politics of the street' where bodies gather to produce alternative political experiences. The review notes that while the frenetic rhythm can feel constrictive, Vandekeybus remains coherent in pursuing beauty in the impure and defective. Ultimately, the piece underscores the need to participate—even in a dialogue between bodies—to resolve conflicts and emancipate roles, norms, and institutions from within and below.