Misha Demoustier

We move through the world next to one another — bodies in transit, brushing past each other in shared space — each of us carrying invisible loads. And yet, we rarely pause to witness or acknowledge the internal states of those around us. We avoid. We protect ourselves. We retreat into the self. But what if our internal struggles were visible? What if the silent negotiations we carry within — the doubt, the grief, the resistance, the shame — were no longer private?

In Bodies of Conflict and Avoidance Misha Demoustier makes what is invisible tangible. He explores how doubt, grief, shame and resistance manifest in the body – and how these feelings both separate and connect us. This multidisciplinary dance solo is a first step towards a group performance: Bodies in Transit.

Despite his young age, Misha (he/him) already carries a wealth of stage experience, both in Belgium and abroad. Since 2008, he has performed as a dancer-actor with companies including Kabinet K / Kopergietery, fABULEUS, Theater Malpertuis, and wpZimmer. More recently, he has collaborated with VOETVOLK / Lisbeth Gruwez, ULTIMA VEZ / Zoë Demoustier, LaGeste, and Arkadi Zaides. During his secondary education, he discovered the visual arts and expanded his practice beyond dance into video installation, instrument building, and music. Today, as he shifts from dancer to creator, Misha seeks to weave this multidisciplinary approach into a body of work that moves fluidly between forms.

Credits: Concept & dance: Misha Demoustier // Sound: Rint Mennes & Misha Demoustier // Dramaturgy: Rint Mennes, fyllenia grigoriou // With support from Vlaamse Overheid, Ultima Vez, Voetvolk, Mestizo Arts Platform/WIPCOOP. 

Misha’s WIP will be shown Wednesday 08.10.