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Aglaja is a dance theater from Bruges, Belgium.

Founded in the late 60s by the visionary choreographer and teacher Jan Dewulf, it is still one of Bruges most important cultural ambassadors. Over the years the ballets of Aglaja have given hundreds of representations all over Europe: from Spain to Sweden and from Estonia and Russia to Italy.

Fifty young dancers, all students, create new dimensions with the aid of flags, costumes, stills and expressions combined in dances. Rhythm, dynamics and movement are the means of expression for this group, together with the feeling of joy and enthousiasm. It is more than just a dance company, it is also a social project, an educational project of growth, of friendship and very rich experiences.

The dance company performs at many occasions, from the world famous Holy Blood Procession in Bruges to the Carnaval in Nice. From the big stages in mainland Europe to charming, little towns all across Europe, Aglaja does perform everywhere with the same enthousiasm.

Jan Dewulf continues to work on this ever evolving project. He describes it as a piece of art that will never be finished. As director of several great events, such as the 1985 Pope Visit to Belgium, he attracted many thousands of people and brought them joy, by mean of his dancers.

The repertoire is mainly (light) classic music: from Bach and Brahms to Dvorak and Ostyn, but also Let It Be from The Beatles is expressed by the dance company. The performance still amazes large audiences and international press.

• aglaja.be