Arno Schuitemaker
2013 – 2016
© Renate Beense
After studying Aerospace and Aviation technology at the Technical University of Delft, Arno Schuitemaker radically turned his career around and set out on a study of contemporary dance at the Fontys Academy in Tilburg. Since his graduation as a choreographer Schuitemaker composed several pieces for (site-specific) theatres such as Proxemics (2007), ZONE (2008), ANOMIA (2008), EXIT (2009), Couple (2010), TIDE (2011) and The Fifteen Project (2012).
His work has its origins in many existential questions and constitutes an ongoing probe into the mysteries of our own bodies and ourselves. Schuitemaker makes use of a disarming dance style in which direct relationships between the audience and his risky choice of partners stand out immediately. In his productions he gives priorty to the sensory experience above storytelling and he finds logic in a network of layered, mutual relationships. In 2009 Schuitemaker received the Dioraphte Encouragement award, and the jury highly praised ‘the -literal and figurative- inescapable elements of his work’ and ‘his measured, transparant choices and feeling for dynamics and suspense’.
Schuitemaker began his career in choreography in theatre De NWE Vorst and advanced steadily via a variety of production companies. From 2010-2013 he composed his main body of work in Productiehuis Brabant, occasionally collaborating with Generale Oost. His pieces are performed in a select group of theatres throughout the Netherlands and are also regularly seen abroad. In 2010 and 2013 Schuitemaker was selected by the Brabant supports Toptalent | High Potential talent fund, and recently his The Fifteen Project | DUET landed on the Aerowaves Priority List 2013. During 2013-2014 he will be working as a Modul-dance Artist in a project initiated by the European Dancehouse Network (EDN)
DansBrabant loves working with Arno Schuitemaker due to his unique, eye catching approach to dance and choreography inspired by science, as well as because of his exciting new perspectives in research into form and audience (a field with a lot left to explore for him), and his persevering and pioneering spirit not to mention his continuous urge to highlight the theoretical and design aspects of dance. During the creative process he displays a huge amount of effort and dedication and the same goes for the work put into his network. Arno is an artist/engineer/mediator, a true ambassador for all the possibilities that dance has to offer our society; his work is of unparalleled value. He operates from within his own foundation SHARP | Arno Schuitemaker, for more info: www.arnoschuitemaker.com