We're already deep into autumn, nostalgically looking back on a summer filled with performances and encounters. We’re also eagerly anticipating an exciting autumn, including a brand-new edition of Zwermen over Assisië this November! Will you swarm along with us?

9 NOVEMBER
Pan~// Catwalk | Van Haag tot Wal Festival | Enschede 

23 NOVEMBER
Zwermen over Assisië | Landpark Assisië | Biezenmortel

Zwermen means: flying (inter)nationally while also putting down roots in Tilburg. On November 23, we’ll host a brand-new edition of Zwermen over Assisië, our cultural evening  full of music, circus, film, and theater, set against the beautiful heritage of Landpark Assisië. The evening offers a stage for artists with local connections to test and try out their work.

Swiss circus artist Julian Vogel (Tilburg graduate)

Music by Bucce d'Arancia, the brand-new band featuring Wouter de Belder, Rob van Barschot & Antonio Allemanno

🗓️ Saturday, November 23, 2024
🎭 Location: Landpark Assisië
📍 Starting Point: Dorpshuis, Nachtegaallaan 3, Biezenmortel
🕤 Time: 19:00 - 21:00
💸 Admission: Pay what you want
✉️ Reserve your spot: reserveren@zwermers.nl to secure your place!

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Since Hull (UK) served as a cultural capital, the city has built an impressive volunteer network. This large, close-knit group is instantly recognizable by their distinctive "Scandalous Blue" jackets, always ready to support the city and its visitors. We had the unique opportunity to collaborate with this remarkable community.

With a team of about 30 volunteers, we spent a week working in an old shop space to create the Pan~// Catwalk: Hull Edition. Without special costumes, only their own clothing, the volunteers presented an honest and personal portrait. The result was a deeply moving performance, touching both the volunteers and the local audience. For a moment, these people who are always there for others became the center of attention themselves: real people, full of unique, colorful personalities.

"It was puzzling to begin with, then entertaining, and finally marvelous and admirable."

Our filmmaker Marike Verbiest captured the entire project in a video portrait. Watch it here [sound on!]. We look back with warm hearts on this extraordinary and intimate encounter.

Together with volunteers of the Freedom Festival in Hull we created a performance to see who's in their wardrobe. To conclude this wonderful experience together Zwermers made a video work dedicated to the volunteers.

Video: Marike Verbiest
Music: Wouter De Belder
Concept: Zwermers

Pan~// Catwalk Freedom Festival Hull 2024

In September, the Festival Reactiv took place, bringing together over 80 young people from across Romania for a unique exchange with theater, music, and dance artists. We performed our piece and collaborated with the participants to create a special Catwalk version. The participants were bursting with artistic inspiration and enthusiasm—our favorite was the nature-human hybrid, crafted from textiles and elements gathered from the surrounding forest. This project was made possible with support from the Dutch Embassy.

The Latest Zwermers News

Do we wear clothing, or are we worn by clothes? What do we communicate with our second skin, and how do we interpret the clothing choices of others? In the performance Pan~//Catwalk, Zwermers plays with the human tendency to label, categorize, and judge. Accompanied by a one-man orchestra, two performers showcase an endless stream of outfits, from a simple white T-shirt to an extravagant glitter dress, and from a worn-out denim jacket to a little black dress. Recognizable combinations give rise to new archetypes and variations, constantly challenging the viewer's expectations. A mesmerizing tribute to the diversity of humanity and the transformative power of clothing.


"The performers reveal great accuracy, switching their look with deadpan skill and synchronicity, making a gentle point about identity while also offering the fun of a fashion show." - The Guardian 2023

This is the most performed piece and is suitable for almost any location, from shopping centers to runways. The performance has been featured at Oerol, Lastrada (AU), Theater op de Markt (BE), Dancing City/Greenwich Docklands (UK), and Deventer op Stelten.

Van versleten spijkerjack tot extravagante glitterjurk. Onze kleding is een uitdrukking van wie we zijn, willen zijn, en soms moeten zijn. Met twee performers, een violist en een onophoudelijke rij outfits brengt Zwermers een ode aan de kleurrijke en veelzijdige mens. Wat zegt die ‘tweede huid’ over ons? Draagt de mens kleding of wordt de mens door kleding gedragen? Dompel je onder in een onophoudelijke stroom van kledingwissels ondersteund door een eenmansorkest met viool en loopstation, geïnspireerd op componisten als Hauschka en Philip Glass. 

Pan~// Catwalk speelt met de menselijke neiging om alles wat we zien te labelen, de voorstelling stimuleert én ondermijnt die drang. Door het continu aan- en uittrekken van outfits ontstaat er een opsomming van allerlei soorten mensen. We vellen daarmee geen oordeel over de verschillende menstypes, maar laten door middel van onophoudelijke kledingwissels de fluïditeit van onze identiteit zien. Dit alles wordt ondersteund door een eenmansorkest met viool en loopstation.

[Cast]
Performers: Wouter de Belder, Paul van de Waterlaat en Inez Wolters. 
Techniek: Sander Verbiest.	
Video: Marike Verbiest

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From a worn out denim jacket to an extravagant glitter dress. Our clothes are an expression of who we are, want to be, and sometimes need to be. Zwermers brings an ode to the colourfulness and versatility of mankind with 2 performers, a violin player and an endless line of outfits. What does this 'second skin' say about us? Does a person wear clothes or is a person worn by clothes? You will be submerged in an infinite flow of outfit changes, supported by a one-man orchestra with violin and loop station, inspired by composers such as Hauschka and Philip Glass.

Pan~// Catwalk plays with the human inclination to label everything we see, the performance stimulates ànd undermines that urge. By continuously changing outfits, a summary of many types of people is created. We do not judge these different characters, but show the fluidity of our identity by means of infinite outfit changes. This is supported by a one-man orchestra with violin and loop station.

Pan~// Catwalk trailer 2023

The 90-minute version is suitable for theaters and theater festivals, previously featured at venues including Theaters Tilburg, Grand Theatre Groningen, Kunsten op straat Diepenheim, Ins Blau Leiden, and Theater an der Glocksee in Hannover (DE).

Een onderzoek dat de normatieve kaders rondom vrouwelijkheid en mannelijkheid bevraagt, doorbreekt en nieuwe voorstellen doet. De mens ontdaan van hokjes, terug naar de kern.
 
Draagt de mens kleding of kleding de mens?
In deze sterk repetitieve en beeldende performance wordt het lichaam behandeld als blank canvas. Steeds nieuwe identiteiten verschijnen en verdwijnen. Een ode aan de rijkheid, verscheidenheid en kleurheid van mensen.
 
De performance kan worden gespeeld in een unieke zelfgebouwde constructie van steigerbuizen, een echte blikvanger in het straatbeeld of op het festivalterrein.

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video by Marike Verbiest: vimeo.com/mverbiest


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An inquiry which questions and breaks through the framework around femininity and masculinity and makes new proposals. (Hu)man stripped of boxes, back to its core existence.

Do people wear clothes or clothes wear people?

In this strong repetitive and visual performance the body is treated as a white canvas. New identities appear en go. An ode to the richness, diversity and colourfulness of people

The performance can be played in a unique self built construction of scaffolding pipes, a real eye catcher in the streets or on a festival ground.

Pan~// Catwalk was created in september 2018 and premiered at Smeltkroezen in De Nieuwe Vorst, Tilburg

Pan~// Catwalk new trailer

Pan~// Catwalk

"Different Bodies Know Different Things" - Rosi Braidotti.

The meaning that clothing acquires depends on which body wears the outfit and in what cultural context. A pink fishnet stocking on the legs of a twenty-year-old has a different effect than the same stocking on the leg of a 75-year-old. And how does a Christmas sweater relate to the traditionally Arab kandora in the wardrobe of an eight-year-old boy from Groningen? Or a skirt around the hips of a cisgender man compared to that same skirt around the hips of a cisgender woman?

We started our work with our own wardrobe as a starting point. This is enriching but also limiting. We are white, slim, and have a Western European background. Obviously, it is impossible for us to represent all people and all versions of themselves. In our co-creations, we explicitly engage in a dialogue with other perspectives. Over the past few years, we delved into the wardrobes of students in Istanbul, youth from Izmir, people at the food bank in Groningen, those aged 55 and over in The Hague, a mix abled group in Tilburg and young asylum seekers in Oisterwijk. Together with them, we created intimate portraits in the form of performances, video works, and documentary material about who you are, in plural.

"The journey through my wardrobe was a journey through my life"

Zwermers performed Pan~// Catwalk at the Fringe Istanbul Festival and created a performance with a group of local performance students. This performance was shown at the Dutch Consulate. 

Concept: Zwermers
Performers: inez Wolters & Paul van de Waterlaat
Music: Wouter de Belder
Tech support: Sander Verbiest

In collaboration with:
Fringe Istanbul 
PerformIstanbul 
Bilgi University


Student performers

Tolga Cuğ
Elif Okyay
Altınay Kapsız
Ekin Üstem
N. Alara Güntav
Yazı Ece Köz
Merve Nazlı Tecimer
Öykü Gür
Nazlı Meriç Çukurova
Selim Cizdan

Video: Sercan Erkmen and Fashbang Productions

Edit: Gijs Roozen 

With the support of Provincie Noord Brabant &  the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Thanks to: Kadıköy Belediyesi & Artsmap Istanbul


www.zwermers.nl

Pan~ Catwalk @ Fringe Istanbul 2021 aftermovie

Different Bodies Know Different Things

Our wardrobes, like ourselves, are in constant motion throughout our lives. They serve as archives of who we once were, who we are now, and who we might become in the future. Catwalk Infinity (premiere: 2025) is Zwermers’ latest performance. This durational work, spanning several hours, invites audiences to freely come and go, becoming part of an ongoing process of transformation.

Accompanied by a one-man orchestra, two performers showcase an endless flow of outfits: from a simple white T-shirt to an extravagant glitter dress, from a worn-out denim jacket to a classic little black dress. Familiar combinations give rise to new archetypes and otherworldly variations, constantly challenging the audience’s expectations. The result is a mesmerizing ode to humanity’s infinite diversity and the transformative power of clothing. And if the audience doesn’t see themselves represented? No problem: there’s an opportunity to temporarily donate clothing to the performers. Stay tuned for more! 

Catwalk Infinity meanders through landscapes, buildings, and cities. Earlier iterations were presented at Museum De Pont in Tilburg and around a fountain during La Strada in Austria. These experiments were supported by a 2P grant from Fonds Podiumkunsten and Theaters Tilburg.

Pan~// Catwalk durational performance @ De Pont Museum Tilburg

Catwalking Infinity

As part of the exhibition "Hybrid Tales for Hybrid Times," MU Art House invited Zwermers to engage in a dialogue with the archive we've built over the past few years. This archive consists of outfits, portraits, videos, and sound recordings. In collaboration with designers Lukas Völp and Nicola Scheibe, we digitally bring this data to life for the first time using AI. What new possibilities for expression emerge beyond the boundaries of our bodies?

This exhibition was on display in the summer of 2023, made possible in collaboration with Cultuurloket Digitall en MU Hybrid Art House. This current project is work in progress. 

Archive of Becoming

Clothing is more than just fabric and threads; every day we grow into what we wear. We look, are looked at, and interpret each other's clothing choices. From zip-off pants to glitter dresses, clothing is an expression of who we are, who we want to be, and sometimes need to be.

Zwermers and Speels Collectief join forces to create a performance with a mixed-ability group of performers (people with and without disabilities). The inspiration for this show comes directly from the wardrobes of the participants. We explore the diversity of humanity, question, and broaden the meaning of 'normal'. This performance took place at Zwermen over Assisië on May 4, 2024, and at Theaterroute NABIJ on May 25 & 26, 2024. To be continued!

Direction: Paul van de Waterlaat & Inez Wolters

Co-direction and Production: Merel van Lieshout

Participants: Harrie Franken, Mimi Goemans, Mirin Haterd, Rob van den Heuvel, Herman Hoogstad, Merel van Lieshout, Lieke Vermeulen-Matthijssen, Nora Vermeulen, Imro Waterberg & Roy van 't Wout.

Made possible thanks to: Gemeente Tilburg, Art-fact & Spiegelglasfonds.

Additional thanks to: Michael Kolen, Stichting Prisma, and Studio Assisië.

Zwermers and Speels Collectief join forces to create a performance with a mixed-ability group of performers (people with and without disabilities). The inspiration for this show comes directly from the wardrobes of the participants. We explore the diversity of humanity, question, and broaden the meaning of 'normal'. This performance took place at Zwermen over Assisië on May 4, 2024, and at Theaterroute NABIJ on May 25 & 26, 2024.

Made possible thanks to: Gemeente Tilburg, Art-fact & Spiegelglasfonds. Additional thanks to: Michael Kolen, Stichting Prisma, and Studio Assisië.

Video by Doerak Film

Pan~// Catwalk [Mix-Abled]

Pan~// Catwalk Mixed & Abled

Welcome to the Multiverse of Zwermers. Multiverse refers to the idea that together with our universe, there may be countless other universes. That there could be endlessly many versions of our world and ourselves existing side by side. This is how we perceive our work as well. Each human body is a portal to infinite versions of itself. In our work, we portray people in various textile versions of themselves, and stop-motion animator Marike Verbiest turns them into video works. She dives into our multiverse and brings it to life in a growing series of video works.

The first video work was created during the exhibition 'The Self Design Academy' at MU Hybrid Art House and was also featured during Textour in Tilburg and the 'Bodytalk' exhibition at Het Nieuwe Domein in Sittard.

Pan~// Catwalk by Zwermers
Concept: Zwermers
Video: Marike Verbiest
Pictures: Jostijn Ligtvoet
Music: Wouter de Belder
Performers: Inez Wolters & Paul van de Waterlaat

Pan~// Catwalk by Zwermers

Videowerk

"The walk through my wardrobe was a walk through my life." - Anita (participant)


'Who hangs in your wardrobe?' we asked fifteen people in the age range of 55-82 at 'Huis van Vervoering' in The Hague. The result: an intimate group portrait showcasing the versatility of these individuals; who they are, who they were, and what inhabiting an aging body means for their freedom of expression.

"What powerful women and what a strong performance. Very original, and it really touched me. Beautiful metamorphosis. I realized that I actually see very few older people on stage, so I found this performance incredibly refreshing." - Audience reaction at CaDance Festival

These are photos from the premiere at Theater De Vaillant in The Hague. The performance also took place at the Cadance Festival from May 18 to 28 in the old American embassy as part of the Reroute route by Korzo Theater and during Zwermen over Assisië on November 25, 2023, at Landpark Assisië in Biezenmortel.

Pan~// Catwalk (55+)

"WITCH! That was the theme for International Women's Day 2024 in Tilburg. A witch is an ancient symbol of condemnation and stigmatization. For example, Sigrid Kaag had #Hexit stuck on her back by Geert Wilders when she left the cabinet (the witch is exit). But a witch also represents unrestraint and individuality.

During International Women's Day, we asked ourselves and participants from Tilburg to bring different contemporary witch versions of ourselves. We changed outfits six times, from your unrestrained self to #stigmas you personally deal with. A few examples of these stigma's:

#weird #what are you #exotic #over the top #herb woman #fiery #faggot #redhead

Stigmas must be fought, which is why we ritually burned them in our witches' circle.

This pop-up performance was made possible thanks to Theater De Nieuwe Vorst & Feniks Emancipation Center and with the support of the Municipality of Tilburg. Mark March 8, 2025, in your calendar!

Internationale Vrouwendag

Clothing plays a significant role in the identity formation of young people. Who am I? Which group do I belong to? And how free do I feel to express myself? In workshops and school performances with discussions, we challenge young people in secondary and vocational education to engage with us and discuss these themes.

In the workshop "Who hangs in your wardrobe?" we delve into what identity means for the participant and how clothing relates to it. In daily life, we are continually observed and interpreted by others. Playing with the human tendency to label everything and everyone we see, in this fun and active workshop, we both encourage and undermine that urge. What do you need? Nothing other than your dressed self (and an extra outfit). We also organize these workshops in an open format for adults or as an additional activity during regular performances.

Pan~//Catwalk is a key performance in the brochure of CiST, the cultural education bureau in Tilburg, and part of Het Creatieve Lichaam, the education program of MU Hybrid Art House (Eindhoven).

"It's fun, much less confronting than I thought." - Tamzin, Participant Mafwa Theatre Leeds (UK)

Who's in your wardrobe?

“De wereld van heden raast door in Dada’s voetspoor” - Anthony Kok 

In 1923, a group of Dadaists led by Theo van Doesburg embarked on a campaign across the Netherlands. They organized Soirées Intimes: artistic manifestations where Dadaism was lived, experienced, and proclaimed. Tilburg, with resident and artist Anthony Kok, was also an important stop in that campaign. This event was commemorated and updated exactly 100 years later with cultural gatherings and an exhibition in Tilburg. Zwermers, commissioned by Stichting de NWE Stijl, developed a Dadaistic catwalk featuring iconic Dada outfits, patterns designed by Artificial Intelligence, and the creation of a live-action compositions of chance in which the male blazer had to bear the brunt. This new work was presented at the Matinee Intime on October 29 and the Soirée Intime on November 15, 2023. The 'compositions of chance' were also showcased at Luycks Gallery during the exhibition 'Maison d'artiste 100 years'.

Dada's Veldtocht

Zwermen over Assisië is the premier cultural program night on the edges of Tilburg. Join us in exploring the heritage of Landpark Assisië in Biezenmortel, where we’ve lived and worked since 2021. Experience experimental and (un)finished works by both ourselves and other creators. Zwermen means always being on the move, but on these evenings, we come home. Made possible by Studio Assisië, the Municipality of Tilburg, and Prisma Care Institution.

🗓️ Saturday, November 23, 2024
🕒 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
📍 Starting Point: Dorpshuis Landpark Assisië, Nachtegaallaan 3
🏁 Ending Point: Den Herd
🎫 Admission: 'Pay what you want' (Prisma residents enter for free)

All performances take place indoors. Reservations can be made via reserveren@zwermers.nl

1. FILM: POP UP CINEMA
We kick off the evening in the community center with a film curated by Tilburg-based 'Pop Up Cinema.' In this intimate film portrait, director Martijn Welles explores the special bond with his brother Robbert, who lives with a disability. Together, they bring their childhood dream to life: the fantasy film Tales of Neverland, a touching tribute to creativity, love, and equality.

2. MUSIC: BUCCE D'ARANCIA
The music trio Bucce d'Arancia takes you on a journey of worldly sounds. With a Mexican guitarón, Persian ud, 5-string double bass, violin, and diverse percussion, Wouter de Belder, Rob van Barschot, and Antonio Allemanno weave traditions from across the globe into a unique sound. Their music is a playful tribute to rhythm, improvisation, and cultural connection.

3. CIRCUS: JULIAN VOGEL
Circus artist Julian Vogel blends circus, visual art, and sound in an enchanting performance. Using fragile ceramic objects crafted at EKWC Oisterwijk, he creates a poetic universe where impermanence and beauty come together.

4. PERFORMANCE: ZWERMERS
Zwermers presents an experimental performance centered on the question: ‘Who hangs in your wardrobe?’. Using clothing as a mirror for identity, they explore how we see ourselves and how others see us. Fueled by their travels and encounters, they create a thought-provoking dialogue between audience and performer.

Zwermers provides a platform for (local) creators to test and experiment with their work, supported by Studio Assisië, the Municipality of Tilburg, and Zorginstelling Prisma.

Dit was Zwermen over Assisie op zaterdag 25 november 2023. Met artistieke bijdragen van Project Baraguda, Pop Up Cinema, Sarah Blok & Lisa Konno, de Vormforensen, Huis van Vervoering & Zwermers & DJ Max Kurosawa. 

Mede mogelijk gemaakt door Gemeente Tilburg, Studio Assisië, Landpark Assisië, Stichting Prisma & Landpark TV.

Aftermovie zwermen over Assisie

Earlier featured artists: Project Baraguda, Pop up Cinema, Sarah Blok en Lisa Konno, Merijn Bisschops, Rianne Wilbers, Beeldjutters, Jongeren van het AZC Oisterwijk, Huis van Vervoering, Exotische verhalen uit het middenrif,  Max Kurosawa, Down the Track, Aurelie Tercier & Speels Collectief.

Zwermers

News
The Latest Zwermers News

Live Performance
Pan~// Catwalk

Co-creatie
Different Bodies Know Different Things

Live Performance
Catwalking Infinity

Installatie
Archive of Becoming

Co-creatie
Pan~// Catwalk Mixed & Abled

Installatie
Videowerk

Co-creatie
Pan~// Catwalk (55+)

Co-creatie
Internationale Vrouwendag

Workshop
Who's in your wardrobe?

Live Performance
Dada's Veldtocht

Programma avond

Zwermers

NewsThe Latest Zwermers News

Live PerformancePan~// Catwalk

Co-creatieDifferent Bodies Know Different Things

Live PerformanceCatwalking Infinity

InstallatieArchive of Becoming

Co-creatiePan~// Catwalk Mixed & Abled

InstallatieVideowerk

Co-creatiePan~// Catwalk (55+)

Co-creatieInternationale Vrouwendag

WorkshopWho's in your wardrobe?

Live PerformanceDada's Veldtocht