conversations in ten questions 83: Sanne van Dijk

© Richard Terborg 

6th Istanbul Fringe Festival's international guest Sanne van Dijk is a puppeteer and storyteller based in Amsterdam. Sanne graduated in acting from the Theatre Academy in Amsterdam in 2006 and also studied puppetry at the Hochschule für Schauspielkunst Ernst Busch in Berlin. Sanne played the main character in the sci-fi film Gliese 581, which was selected for the 2015 Imagine Film Festival, and was nominated for the International EMMY Children's Awards 2020 for the TV production Dropje (Doopie), in which she played the main character as a puppeteer.

In her work, Sanne draws on her own life experiences to reveal universal truths that transcend different cultures and societies. By daring to speak honestly about her own struggles and challenges in life, Sanne provokes the audience to confront their own struggles. In her interdisciplinary work VLOED (FLOOD), which we had the opportunity to see at the Istanbul Fringe Festival, Sanne combined acting, puppetry and music with storytelling and created a tragicomic show based on personal stories of being stuck and finding the courage to break out of one's shell and break free.. Now we leave the floor to Sanne van Dijk... 

What do you think is the essence of performance?

Performing to me is finding a balance between being a mirror to society and the world we live in, while also offering an escape out of day to day reality. Building a true connection is very important to me. With FLOOD I try to show how grooming works, and what a fine line it is between feeling special and loved and unacceptable behavior. And how hard it can be to speak up about it.

Do you believe in the transformative power of art? In what way?

Absolutely. For me personally, making this work helped me understand what happened to me and change the story I had told myself about it all these years. It makes me feel powerful now, in comparison to a powerless situation back then. I hope it inspires others and maybe broadens perspectives.

When you are working on a piece, what sources inspire you? Do dreams play a role in your work? 

I have noticed inspiration can come from many different places. For example, I perform this piece from a bathtub. When I decided to use it at first it was a visual choice, but once I had it, it inspired the use of some object play. Music is an inspiration. Old stories, but also day to day life. I think I take my work with me wherever I go, so I’m ‘open’ to inspiration all around. Dreams can sometimes be the start of a piece. In my latest work, 12 Kisses Before Midnight, it all started with this idea that in the world nowadays people seem to be more and more opposed to each other. Instead, we hoped to make a show that connects and brings joy.

When do you decide to give a piece you are working on a title if it does not already have one? 

I always start with a working title. It happens often that it turns out to be the title of the show. For FLOOD, it took some time to decide. I felt like it needed the connection to water, and I knew what story would be the driving force, but still it took a while before I felt the piece was finished enough to see what title would fit. Also because this story is so personal to me.

Is there an artist or person who you think has influenced your art the most? And if so, who? 

Before FLOOD I worked together with Cat Smits (Cat Smits Company) in the show Nouveau Fuck. This show calls on women and ‘other others’ to take up more space, a theme close to my heart. Within the show, and around it, I have really felt the power of supporting each other and that made me decide to finally write my own show, a wish I cherished long already. The foam puppetry I use in my work is inspired by Cat’s use of foam puppets.

Considering the current state of the world in every sense, what is the most important and urgent issue for you as an artist?

Building community and connecting to one another. As artists we need to nourish each other and work together, also multidisciplinary. I hope that creates more sturdiness and stability, more resilience. 

The text that introduces you on your website emphasises the fact that you are a storyteller. What does it mean to you to be a storyteller?

Storytelling is an artform that allows you to tell your own story while simultaneously creating genuine connection with the audience. The story, the audience and you - the storyteller are equally important. I have studied this craft for 5 months at the Mezrab Storytelling School in Amsterdam and feel it has given me the tools to shape my personal stories into art.

In addition to being a performer, you are also a puppeteer, a graduate of the Hochschule für Schauspielkunst Ernst Busch in Berlin. If we are not mistaken, you also use puppetry in your piece Flood which you will stage in Istanbul. Could you tell us a bit about the creative process of FLOOD in terms of incorporating puppetry into a performance?

I have indeed studied at the Ernst Bush (although I’m not a graduate there, to be honest). And yes, I decided to incorporate puppetry in my storytelling work. Puppetry is a kind of magic. Everyone sees it is ‘just’ a piece of foam, or an object, but somehow we all believe it has its own life. With a puppet it is possible for me to shift the focus from myself to a character from the story, or another aspect that needs focus. It can also help express parts of the story the storyteller might want to keep hidden.

What does ‘Fringe’ signify for you?

Fringe is a fantastic place full of artistic freedom, the possibility to experiment and to meet so many great artists. It is often a starting point for new makers. I created FLOOD for the Amsterdam Fringe Festival, and they also provided us with workshops and get-togethers, to connect with other theater professionals. And for me, it turned out to be a real stepping stone towards other work possibilities and finding my place within the artworld.

Is there anything special you would like to tell the Istanbul Fringe audience before they experience FLOOD? 

It is very very special to me to perform this show at Istanbul Fringe. I believe it is a very current theme and I hope that with this work I can inspire people to find their own voice and dare to speak out.

[The version in Turkish was published in Art.unlimited.]