Living on my Instinct
Living on my Instinct explores the intersection of dance and photography. While the stage initially offered endless possibilities, Danny soon encountered its limitations. Theater is bound by sets, lighting, and structured choreography, so he began seeking freedom: freedom of movement, of light, and of space to experiment.
Together with dancers and performers he had befriended, he pushed the boundaries of dance, breaking away from narrative frameworks and academic movement patterns. He chose unconventional settings that stood in stark contrast to traditional rehearsal rooms and theater stages: the Paris metro, the streets of Tokyo, abandoned post-industrial sites, and stone quarries. In these free environments, performers could fully surrender to improvisation and experimentation. A new dynamic emerged between body and environment – where dance was no longer a performance, but an instinctive response to space.
Danny captured these moments in striking images that not only freeze movement in time but also reveal the deep interconnection between human, dance, and environment. His photography is not mere documentation, but interpretation – a search for the essence of movement, unbound by technique or tradition. Living on my Instinct is, above all, an ode to the raw, untamed power of dance, where freedom and expression take center stage.
Danny Willems
Danny Willems (b. 1950, Blankenberge) has been an invisible yet essential presence in the Belgian performing arts for decades. His fascination with photography began in the red-lit lab of Photo Hall in Blankenberge, where his parents worked. His father developing film, his mother selecting the best images. As a child, he often wandered through the lab, captivated by the magic of light and image. When he lost his father at the age of six, that early fascination became a quiet, enduring drive.
A self-taught photographer, Danny honed his craft through observation, experimentation, and relentless curiosity. His first subjects emerged from the rock music community in Ostend. Through his friendship with Arno Hintjens, he found himself at the heart of Belgium’s vibrant music scene in the 1970s and ’80s, becoming the photographer of a generation. As the country’s first rock photographer, he captured dozens of album covers and music videos. His style – raw, direct, and rhythm-infused – offered a visual echo of the music itself.
It was in the performing arts, however, that Danny found his most personal expression. In the mid-1980s, he was invited to photograph What the Body Does Not Remember (1987), the debut performance by Wim Vandekeybus. This marked the beginning of a lifelong collaboration, with Danny becoming the visual chronicler of Vandekeybus’s company, Ultima Vez. He later became the in-house photographer for the Koninklijke Vlaamse Schouwburg (KVS) in Brussels, working with choreographers such as Lisbeth Gruwez, Daniel Linehan, Isabella Soupart, Koen Augustijnen, and theatre-maker Jan Decorte.
The stage became his laboratory – a space where he could distill movement, tension, and emotion into a single still image. There, he refined a photographic language that is physical, visceral, and immediate. Over time, Danny Willems became a cornerstone of the theatre and dance world.
Eight stories
“And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.”
This quote perfectly captures the idea that meaning is often shaped by perspective. When I photographed Jessica and Eddie, their dance initially appeared chaotic, almost absurd. But once you hear the music or begin to understand what they’re responding to, a deeper meaning emerges.
Seeing through another’s eyes is a powerful act. It opens the door to understanding, empathy, and connection – reminding us that what seems strange at first may simply be unfamiliar.
Performing artists: My Homeless Lover – Jessica Eirado Eines (Italy/Portugal) and Eddie Bruno Oroyan (Hawaii)
Terril Saint-Théodore Est (Charleroi)
23.08.2018 – 11:10:59
Butoh dance emerged in post-World War II Japan, a nation grappling with the trauma of atomic devastation and profound cultural upheaval. As an avant-garde and often confrontational form of dance, Butoh breaks away from both traditional aesthetics and Western dance conventions. It brings the repressed and the taboo to the surface – what is usually hidden – standing in stark contrast to the refinement of ballet or the structure of modern dance. When I traveled to Tokyo, I sought out the Butoh community. That journey led me to Nobutaka, and our meeting became the catalyst for one of the most inspiring photoshoots of my career.
Performing artist: Nobutaka Shimura (Japan), performer of dance & experimental electronic music
Tsukiji fish market (near Sumida River, Tokyo)
05.02.2016 – 15:12:27
This image emerged after a session for choreographer Isabella Soupart, held on the rooftop of the Centre Chorégraphique de Charleroi. I asked Johanna to improvise freely with abstract poses, but the view over the mundane square below didn’t resonate. I was searching for a backdrop that would contrast with her posture and echo the quiet melancholy the image evoked. With the help of AI, I discovered this untouched, desolate landscape – its atmosphere perfectly complementing the mood I was seeking.
Performing artist: Johanna Willig Rosenstein (France)
Centre Chorégraphique de Charleroi Dance (Charleroi)
17.10.2019 – 11:42:27
Dancing Hands
Dancing hands reach out and communicate with elegant dynamics. Sometimes soft and caressing, other times powerful and compelling. As a dance photographer, I discovered that expression is not only found in a glance or a jump, but also through hands. They are more than just parts of the body, they tell stories.
Performing artist: Nobutaka Shimura (Japan), performer of dance & experimental electronic music
Tsukiji fish market (near Sumida River, Tokyo)
05.02.2016 – 15:12:27
Heat, Sweat, Cracked Earth
Erratic movements echo the dryness of the landscape. The body casts long, dancing shadows in the late afternoon sun, creating an elongated, elusive impression. Through my lens, I witness how the intensity of heat, exertion, and connection to the earth becomes almost unbearable – like the body is silently screaming for release.
Performing artist: Guilhem Chatir (France)
Carrière d’Ermitage (Lessen)
25.08.2016 – 16:10:16
I was drawn to the Site des Deux-Caps by its pristine, untamed beauty. Guilhem brought along a piece of black fabric – an unexpected choice that sparked a visual and physical exploration of the relationship between body, movement, form, and environment. The black silk became an extension of his body, rippling in the wind, trailing over rocks, and merging with the natural elements. It blurred the line between dancer and landscape, gesture and geography.
Performing artist: Guilhem Chatir (France)
Site des Deux-Caps (France)
23.10.2019 – 12:32:52
When I photographed the performance Bête Noir by choreographer Wim Vandekeybus, it was Tania’s frozen pose that caught my eye. The posture demanded complete bodily control. By bringing this pose into the street and photographing it from a hidden vantage point, I wanted to observe how passersby would react to such a bizarre situation. The static, frozen figure disrupted the everyday, creating a tension between the familiar and the strange. Some people were surprised, others wanted to help, but most walked by, indifferently.
Performing artist: Tanja Marín Friðjónsdóttir (Iceland)
Théâtre de la Ville, Quai de Gesvres & Métro Châtelet (Paris)
16.04.2014 – 19:18:16
The shoot with Guilhem took place during the 2016 heatwave, on the hottest day of the summer. Deep in the open quarry of Lessines – 50 meters below ground – it was blisteringly hot. The parched earth had split into erratic patterns. After just a few intense dance movements, sweat streamed from Guilhem. Swirling dust clung to his skin and clothes, forming a second layer – as if he weren’t dancing on the earth, but rising from it.
Performing artist: Guilhem Chatir (France)
Carrière d’ Ermitage (Lessen)
25.08.2016 – 17:05:58
