Jorijn Vriesendorp
Born in the Netherlands, Jorijn Vriesendorp is currently based in Amsterdam. She has been studying Countertechnique since 2010, attended the Countertechnique Teacher Training in 2014 and has been teaching Countertechnique since then. She danced in two of Anouk van Dijk’s works, Mensch (2011) and Rausch (2012).
Jorijn grew up dancing and started her professional training at a young age at Fontys Dance Academy in Tilburg (the Netherlands). After Fontys, she moved to Amsterdam to attend the Amsterdam School of the Arts, and in 2008 completed her BA in Jazz-Musical Dance there. She then moved to Australia to continue her studies, and in 2009 received her BA Contemporary Performing Arts degree from the Victorian College of the Arts / University of Melbourne.
In 2010 and 2011, she worked for renowned Australian artists and companies, such as Gideon Obarzanek (former artistic director of Chunky Move) and Stephanie Lake. In 2012, Jorijn moved back to Europe, quickly building an impressive career as a performer with Anouk van Dijk, Cecilia Moisio and Falk Richter, working at major companies like anoukvandijk dc, Schaubühne Berlin, Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus and Schauspiel Frankfurt. As an all-round freelancer, Jorijn Vriesendorp also appeared in several short films for Cinedans Film Festival, and has been involved in one feature films, The Firebird by Lucas van Woerkum.
“Countertechnique is very special to me. I love dancing and I see Countertechnique as an ongoing personal research, in which I can challenge myself in a playful way, and can constantly dig deeper. Countertechnique has helped me enormously as a dancer and performer. It has given me trust in myself, and has expanded my way of thinking and moving. In my movements there is much more ease and clarity, which allows me to explore movements that I could never think of doing beforehand. The amount of freedom it creates can be overwhelming – Countertechnique is not magic, but sometimes it can feel like that.
The joy I have whilst creating, performing and dancing on or off stage, is something I want to share with other dancers. Teaching for me is observing, guiding and suggesting different possibilities, in a pleasant environment where you can challenge yourself, take risks, dance with your full range, in a joyful way, whilst being gentle and smart with your body. Countertechnique keeps you aware – of your body, of what is happening inside and around you, and what’s happening with the space and others around you. Being truthful and present in the process, automatically also creates more space to think positive and objectively about yourself. This has also been so useful in my daily life.”
