Frustration as fuel for movement
Chiel Guiamo is in his final year of the bachelor’s program in Artisteducator in Dance in Arnhem. He creates performances in which emotion, vulnerability, and authenticity are central. At the same time, he is working towards his future as a dancer, maker, and teacher. Not either-or, but everything intertwined. 'Right now, I’m mainly focused on: who do I want to be, and what do I want to convey when I leave here?' That question runs like a common thread throughout his time at the academy.
'Honestly, I just wanted to dance'
Chiel already knew from quite an early age that he wanted to attend an art academy. He first completed an MBO vocational program outside the world of dance, but still within the creative sector. ‘By my third year, I already knew: this isn’t for me. But I finished it anyway. In the meantime, I was already teaching dance. From the age of eighteen, I stood in front of groups together with someone else, which allowed me to gradually learn how to teach. So dance had always been a big part of my life, but I come from breaking and didn’t have a classical or highly technical dance background. That’s why I often thought I might not get accepted.’
In the end, his mother asked the question he had kept avoiding himself: what do you really want? ‘Then I thought: yeah… actually, I just want to dance.’
The professional field demands much more from you
Chiel was already familiar with ArtEZ through open days and people around him. ‘Every time I came there, the atmosphere just felt right.’
In his second year, the programme changed from Dance Teacher to Artisteducator in Dance. ‘They said: these days, you’re not just a teacher, not just a maker, and not just a dancer. The professional field demands much more from you.’
He increasingly recognised this throughout his studies. ‘I came in with the idea that I mainly wanted to dance. Coming from breaking, I was used to battles and freestyling. Theatre and choreography were still quite new to me. But during the programme, I discovered how much I enjoyed creating work, standing in front of a group, and performing on stage. That’s when I realised I didn’t want to be just a dancer. It was precisely that combination of maker, teacher, and performer that appealed to me more and more.’
Frustration as a driving force
According to Chiel, the programme gives you plenty of space to discover your own direction. ‘We sometimes jokingly call it a kind of DIY programme, because you get a lot of freedom. From the second year onwards, you gradually become more independent. You choose projects, explore what matters to you, and are constantly asked: why are you making this?’
‘At first, I found that really annoying. Not because I thought art didn’t have to mean anything, but because people quickly create their own story around what they see. I wanted to preserve that openness and not completely spell everything out.’
Until he met makers who had a very clear vision and intention. ‘They knew exactly what they wanted to communicate. That’s when I realised how powerful that can actually be.’
He now brings that approach into his graduation work as well. He explores frustration as a driving force for movement. ‘For me, frustration is often a driving force that shows me I care about something. When I get frustrated about something, it actually gives me energy. During rehearsals, I talk about it with the dancers. What does frustration do to your body? What happens when you allow it instead of pushing it away? A negative emotion like that can also produce something really positive, if you know how to work with it. It’s precisely that tension that I find interesting to make visible.’
What kind of teacher (and maker) do you want to be?
For Chiel, everything comes down to being moved. ‘I want to be moved. By my dancers, by a piece, by the audience.’ That is also what he tries to offer others. ‘Vulnerability is important to me. If you are open, others dare to be open too. I see that reflected in my rehearsals as well. Conversations quickly become personal, and that is exactly the point. That’s when something real happens.’
Who is this programme for?
According to Chiel, the programme is a good fit for people who feel that they want to do something with dance, but don’t yet know exactly what. ‘You’ll discover a lot here. Teaching, creating performances, working with different target groups, technology — pretty much everything.’
At the same time, it requires independence. ‘You won’t always be told exactly what to do step by step. But that’s precisely where you learn a lot. Especially if you want to find your own path later on as a maker, teacher, or freelancer.’
‘Better to try than to get stuck on “what if…”’
Chiel himself had doubts about the programme for a long time. He almost didn’t do it. ‘My doubts about my own abilities almost held me back. That’s why I’d like to tell prospective students: just give it a try. Sign up for an audition workshop or check out the preparatory programme. By experiencing it for yourself, you’ll find out whether it’s right for you. Better that than getting stuck on “what if”. Later on, I want to be able to say that at least I gave it a try.’
