Wie Naam Ik
DESCRIPTION
"WieNaamIk?" is an interdisciplinary project that combines genealogy, dance theatre and film to explore the powerful connection between names and identity. Guided by a transcultural therapist, six dancers delve into the history of their surnames and discover personal and collective stories of heritage, resilience and transformation. These discoveries are translated into a dance theatre performance and a series of intimate documentaries, capturing each journey of self-discovery, breaking generational cycles and creating new stories.
These are the dancers and their stories:
- Sigourney explores the untold stories of her Dutch-Surinamese roots, using therapy to connect with her family history. Through her journey, she learns to embrace her name and translate her discoveries into a dance theatre performance that bridges the past and present.
- Croes dives into his Caribbean roots, reflecting on the strength of his surname and how it shapes his identity. Through therapy and music, he breaks generational cycles and channels his growth into a deeply personal track and dance performance.
- Darren, a spoken word artist and dancer, uses therapy to explore his surname’s ties to slavery. His art becomes a vessel for healing and storytelling, connecting the struggles of his ancestors with his vision for the future.
- As a co-founder of Scene Sessions, Chivano explores his roots through therapy, discovering strength in his family’s history. He integrates these insights into his role as a dancer and leader, creating spaces for artistic growth and collaboration.
- Ciara uses therapy and dance to connect with her ancestors and break generational cycles. As a female dancer in a male-dominated space, she finds empowerment in her art and a sense of belonging within the Scene Sessions collective.
- Chandrion reflects on his Dutch surname, describing it as a "cage" that he feels free to leave. Through therapy, he discovers unknown family stories and gains the tools to redefine his identity on his terms.
WHAT WE DID?
For the multidisciplinary project, WieNaamIk, we offered a full spectrum of creative production services, including:
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Documentary Filmmaking: We developed and directed a six-part documentary series, capturing the personal journeys of 6 dancers. Each episode blended intimate self-filmed footage with artistic storytelling.
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Technical Support & Coaching: We equipped the dancers with wireless microphones and mobile tripods, and trained them on how to capture high-quality audio and video from their daily lives, enabling authentic, first-person storytelling.
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Visual Identity & Content Strategy: We helped shape the project’s visual style and narrative tone across all digital platforms, ensuring consistency.
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Social Media Content Creation: We produced engaging reels, trailers, and behind-the-scenes content tailored for Instagram and other platforms to build community and anticipation around the project's events.
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Event Documentation: We covered key project moments, including rehearsals, interviews, and live performances with both photography and videography, creating an archive of the project's evolution.
This six-part documentary series offers an intimate, poetic look into the lives of five dancers and the artistic director behind Wie Naam Ik. Each short film blends personal storytelling, movement, and memory to explore the themes of heritage, identity, and belonging. Each video was co-created with the dancers, who filmed their own lives using phones and wireless microphones, resulting in an authentic and raw visual diary shaped in collaboration with the director.
