“This ballet is a small act of resistance” — Article in Winq
Skin in Between explores self-love, emotion, and connection
September 17, 2026
What happens in our bodies when happiness and fear, joy and frustration collide, and how does that energy find a way out? These were the questions that Italian choreographer Aristide Rontini began with when creating a new choreography commissioned by Arnhem-based dance company Introdans, which is now being performed as part of their program ENERGY. The result of his research is Skin in Between, a dynamic dance that calls for both self-love and connectivity.
Aristide Rontini is internationally known for his choreographies in which inclusion, identity, and different bodily realities are given a natural place. As a queer Italian, he knows from personal experience—among other things because his arms are differently proportioned—how important it is to push the boundaries of representation and acceptance.
Why are you creating this choreography now?
“I have always found the effect emotions have on the body fascinating. I still remember very clearly what it felt like to come out. It was a powerful physical sensation. I felt immense joy at finally being able to be completely myself, but at the same time it was frightening. In recent years, the freedoms we have gained in relation to identity and sexuality have once again come under pressure. I also feel that, through things like social media, we are becoming increasingly disconnected from ourselves and our own bodies. That is why this ballet is also a small act of resistance. It calls on us to return to ourselves and, from there, to create genuine connections.”
How do we see this reflected in Skin in Between**?**
“You could see the four dancers in the piece as a single body. A mechanism that ripples through the space and sometimes pulses or protests, just like the emotions that bounce and flow through the body. There is a sense of tactility to it. That also comes from the relationship with the audience.”
“You could see the four dancers in the piece as a single body.”
“The dancers stand relatively close to the edge of the stage, creating a thin layer between the performance and the audience. A strong reference to the skin as the organ that creates physical connection with the environment can be found in the costumes. They are inspired by chain mail, the protective garments worn by medieval knights. Chain mail was incredibly strong yet flexible, like a second skin.”
Skin in Between is part of the new Introdans program ENERGY, which also features a world premiere by Andonis Foniadakis, as well as works by Gustavo Ramírez Sansano and Sofia Nappi being presented in the Netherlands for the first time. Introdans will tour ENERGY to theaters across the Netherlands from 25 September through 25 November 2026.
