Almost blind, but dance connects – de Gelderlander

26 February 2026
by Sandra van Maanen

Has it really been three years since the previous edition of Introdans’ HubClub? Yes! Time again for a celebration that excels in dance power, with a wide palette of bodies and minds on stage.

For this newest edition, choreographer and creator of HubClub, Adriaan Luteijn, not only invited guest dancers from different physical, social and other dance communities, he also joined forces with choreographers with whom Introdans enjoys working. “Because their work is theatrical and so typically HubClub, and because they have the social antenna needed for this type of performance,” he says. He asked Inbal Pinto, Fernando Melo and Conny Janssen to dive into their repertoire and look for a piece that would fit the joyful and rebellious revue atmosphere.

“That worked well. Working with an inclusive cast suited them perfectly. In fact, they simply did what they always do: search for the strength of each dancer. What was new was that we brought in inclusion coaches to support them. The collaboration with dancers from unexpected worlds and different physical realities, such as a deaf or nearly blind dancer, turned out beautifully.”

Visual impairment
In addition to the choreographers mentioned above, whose existing works or excerpts are presented, Jordy Dik (Compagnie Tiuri) and Luteijn himself also contributed pieces. Luteijn created the connecting overture and finale for the full cast.
One of the guest dancers Luteijn invited is Issam Zemmouri, a professional dancer and choreographer with a visual impairment. Due to a hereditary eye condition, he now sees only four percent and will eventually lose his sight completely.

“The condition revealed itself just after I graduated from the dance academy. I had to pull myself together and adjust to a new perspective on the future,” says Issam.

Playing with space
It does not stop him from fully committing himself as a dancer. The biggest challenge is not the movement itself (“I still walk down the street without a cane, you know”), but navigating spaces he does not yet know. “And in this case, also moving between dancers who were unfamiliar to me. But already in the first week at Introdans, my confidence grew and I started to feel comfortable.”

It looks so easy, the way he moves among the other dancers. You almost forget that he can barely see. “I focus on what I hear and feel; my senses keep getting sharper,” he says. Checking in at HubClub feels like a celebration to him. “Very quickly I noticed the atmosphere was good and, above all, that everyone is allowed to be there.”

“But honestly, alongside all the excitement I also felt some doubt. Could I really do it? Adriaan convinced me. I learned to make the repertoire my own without examples from other dancers, without knowing the original version of a piece or the exact speed of all the movements. I learn in a different way; by repeating movements endlessly, I store them in my body.”

‘Who is actually who?’
Luteijn: “In HubClub we make the work accessible for guest dancers like Issam. I am not interested in labels; what matters is the mix on the floor. From different worlds, including hip hop, we bring in fantastic guest dancers who, together with our own dancers, create the performance. What does it matter what lies behind that beautiful façade? What you see is that lovely row of houses.”

Issam: “After the premiere someone came up to me and asked: who is actually who? Who is the deaf or blind dancer, and who are the Introdans dancers? That is beautiful, don’t you think? That you cannot see the difference. Two years ago I considered quitting as a dancer. Integrating into the world of companies seemed impossible. Now I know it is possible. I have learned that everyone has something, but in the end finds their own path. A label of disability should not exist.”

HubClub’26 will be performed on 2 and 3 March at Musis in Arnhem.

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