So when JBA’s JAMES was in its earliest stages of production, the team immediately envisaged ‘masks’ to take a central place in choreographer Mauro de Candia’s wonderfully nuanced ballet-tableau.
In order to create these highly important attributes, Alain Honorez once again called on his ‘go-to‘ designer, Julie Coppens as he knew without a doubt she could bring them to life in a most original fashion.

In her atelier and under Julie’s skillful fingers, several dozen masks were manufactured; moving on from the drawing board to the painstaking layering of paper maché, the expressions of each character slowly emerged – recognisable not just seen full-front but also seen in profile, or even in three-quarters form.
Then followed the painting with Julie employing Ensor’s vivid color palette; eventually the finished masks stared out at the viewers, each a work of art in its own right.

Donning them for the first time was no easy task for the dancers!
Apart from all-important breath control, eye focus cannot be underestimated; dancers not only have to assess moving in their own space but also gage how and where they are in relation to the group in a choreography which is constantly fluctuating.
Staring out through two slits with breathing restricted: having to stay in character, move to the music in strict formations and under fast- changing lighting effects ánd using exaggerated bodily expression to counter-balance the covered faces – our dancers managed all this and more.

JAMES looked stunning on the large stage of the Antwerp Opera last February; however there is a plus point in the production down-sizing to more intimate venues. Seen at close quarters, all the scenes peopled by these masked characters take on deeper significance – in fact they entice the public into Ensor’s world, lift the veil slightly and invite the audience to draw their own conclusions about that enigmatic genius James Ensor.

Junior Ballet Antwerp’s JAMES will be playing during a National tour between November 8 and December 14, 2024.

Have you booked your tickets yet?

© Alain Honorez & Filip Van Roe