In her new work For Mata, with Love, Pé Vermeersch explores the tragedy of a woman who used her body as power, language, and mystery — and who may have been killed because of it. A tribute to Mata Hari not as a spy or courtesan, but as a founding mother of contemporary performing art, the piece delves into the erotic force of a breathing, sensing, autonomous organism. Sacrificed on the altar of fear and desire, that body expressed a powerful act of resistance and restoration, asserting its presence through intensity and surrender.

The legendary walk of Mata Hari toward her execution in 1917 becomes the dramatic arc of the piece, developed through principles drawn from Japanese Noh theatre. Amid a naïvely colorful scenography, Angela Babuin incarnates Mata Hari as she dances her path toward the French firing squad on an eight-meter-long balance beam. Pé Vermeersch embodies her soul and shadow, accompanying Angela with live voice over an original soundtrack by George De Decker. The relationship between costume and nudity — as well as the act of dressing and undressing — is a central element in this context, conceived in collaboration with costume designer Anita Evenepoel.

In an unexpected twist, a passionate duet between ‘the man’ and ‘the shadow’ weaves its way through Mata’s performance path. Frank van de Ven will be the first male dancer to interpret this role.

We are all creators belonging to a “lost generation”: artists who emerged just after the so-called “Flemish wave” and did not develop within the framework of an established company. We have worked all our lives and are now between the ages of 43 and 65. Though rarely acknowledged as artists, the language we have forged can be recognized in much of the work made today by younger generations. We create with a positive spirit and a sense of urgency. Thank you very much for paying attention to our work.

Dancers:  Angela Babuin, Pé Vermeersch, Frank van de Ven

Costumes:  Anita Evenepoel

Soundtrack: George De Decker and Alissa Cardone