The new creation by the Spaniard Juanjo Arqués had to be postponed twice due to coronavirus restrictions. The first wave of corona put paid to the plans, as did the Omicron variant last year. This meant that Arqués’ sources of inspiration and ideas for his new work changed as well. Now the premiere is imminent at last, he has chosen a theme that many of us have had to deal with both during and since the coronavirus pandemic: the impact of stress on our daily lives.

Yes, he’s also stress-sensitive himself, admits the 46-year-old Juanjo Arqués. “As an artist, you automatically have to contend with tension and nerves. Especially as I’m someone who always takes risks. If I’m asked to choreograph a work within a few weeks, I’m quick to say yes, but then you’re usually stressed for weeks afterward. On top of that, I have a mild form of ‘urban phobia’, so I don’t feel very comfortable in big crowds of people or on those ultra-long metro escalators.”

However, he says, his new piece Full Frontal is absolutely not an autobiographical work. “What concerns me is the role stress plays in our society and the effects it has on us.” Recently, he has been delving into the subject in detail – both into stress caused by external factors, such as noise, crowds, bad news, and disasters, and into mental, inner stress. “Of course, stress also has its positive sides. For instance, it can boost your immune system and help you defend yourself and others against threats or danger. But how do we deal with chronic stress? If you want to be a well-balanced person, then you need to keep such stress under control.”

 Text: Astrid van Leeuwen

Choreography  Juanjo Arqués Music Michael Gordon
Lighting design  Yaron Abulafia
Set & Costume Design  Tatyana van Walsum
Dramaturgy  Fabienne Vegt Assistant Choreographer Jose Carlos Blanco Martinez Special Sound Effects Ian Dearden  Dutch Ballet Orchestra conducted by Matthew Rowe Dancers Nationale Opera & Ballet