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It’s full of wry humor and deprecating touches, but undeniably also suffused with sadness and dislocation.

The subject matter may be new, but the choreography is beautifully, classically Whim W’Him. Wevers took a risk by exposing himself so fully, and it paid off as one of the best pieces he’s created in the past year.

Seattle is lucky to have Whim W’Him not just as an extraordinary performing ensemble, but as a group that fosters new work and further develops a new mode of making ballet.

In Whim W’Him’s latest show, “Third Degree,” Bartee is most spectacular in “L’Effleure,” choreographed by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, whose work Wevers has championed in Seattle.

Wevers is startling in many ways. His work is robust both in the abundance of his works and in his majestic sense of the balletic vocabulary, like a constantly rotating display case of prismatic gems in which their seemingly changing colors can’t quite be identified.

Whim W’him continues to attract and grow audience. Plans are for deserved expansion and a debut at the Joyce Theatre in New York later this year.

Stellar dancers, and a mostly stellar lineup of dance works, make Whim W’Him’s “Crave More” a must-see for dance lovers this weekend.

The Sofa, set to Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 9, has an unusual guest artist: a beautiful purple sofa that gets carted around, turned over, hidden underneath, and even strung up.

Olivier Wevers’s modern dance troupe returns with four short works—including local premieres ofThe Sofa and More by Wevers and Before/After by guest choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa—plus the debut of new company dancers and a guest appearance by Lucien Postlewaite, on a quick vacation from Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo.

Since founding the contemporary dance company Whim W’Him in 2009, Artistic Director Olivier Wevers has delighted audiences and critics alike with his mixture of humor, drama and inventive dance movement.

Four hours photographing choreographer Olivier Wevers at his private home in Seattle made for a fantastic and creative afternoon.

Flower Festival reveals Wevers’ wit, as well as his ballet experience. Only that knowledge could allow him to subvert the original dance so wonderfully. It also demonstrates Wevers’ gift for the pas de deux. He creates moments of true intimacy for two dancers. Even in ThrOwn, a work for five dancers, the duets stand out.

Wevers’ emphasis was on athleticism, theatricality and frisky humor in dance — not always in the same package, but recurring in one combination or another often enough to give you a good notion of his tastes.

As Mayor Mike McGinn notes, “This year’s award recipients reflect the diversity of arts and culture in our city and together demonstrate a commitment to access for all to enjoy and participate in the arts.”

The eerie scenic design, the underplayed overhead lighting, the gut wrenching music expertly played by the St Helens String Quartet (led by the magnificent Michael Jinsoo Lim) – all were utterly remarkable. At the premiere, the music and chorus were beautifully amped and the dance was understated, striking.

Like so much of the evening, it was inventive and fluid. The mood is playful, experimental. Each poem and dance introduce us to a new scenario

Approaching Ecstasy is one of the all-too-rare collaborations where the contributions of each partner are evenly presented. Neither overshadows the other, but, rather, they augment each other. Eric Banks’ delicate music was a lovely mate to Wevers’ delicate choreography. The staging, by Wevers, was restrained but powerful. As the singers walked through the portal, in affectionate pairs, at the end of the piece, leaving only the instrumentalists and conductor Banks onstage in the shafts of soft light, the audience was left, sighing, in a state of grace. What a gift!

Approaching Ecstasy proves that Wevers is never stagnant in his work. Constantly developing new choreography is a strength for this Artistic Director. Even with each new work he retains a look that is decidedly “Whim-esque.” Dancers seem to always be moving from the torso, stretching their bodies and limbs as far as they can possibly go, only to take them even farther, creating this magical essence of floating beyond defined limits.

What is heartening is that Wevers shows no tendency towards a macho Ballet Boyz superstar aesthetic, and he is genuinely interested in working on artistic problems, especially to the inclusion of other artists.  Approaching enlists an intriguing combination of Seattle artists; Wevers adds in his own whimsical way, something meat-y to the dialogue.

Fine visuals, fine dance, fine score — “Approaching Ecstasy” has it all.

Known for its ever inventive and deftly performed works of contemporary ballet, Whim W’Him is once again tackling an ambitious program with its upcoming show, Approaching Ecstasy.

When I mentioned this last part to Wevers, he got excited about what he called “liquid bones”: ”In classical ballet, it’s often about all these poses that you do,” he said. “With the great choreographers, you don’t see transitions really, every movement leads to another movement.”

“It’s fantastic to be part of this project,” Bartee said. “I love collaborations because it changes the dynamic by incorporating different artistic voices.”

Cavafy’s languid, hothouse verse, overtly homoerotic as few poets before him had dared to be, reveals the emotional life of a gay man in his closeted time, from carnal longing to fear and the burdens of secrecy.

To see Andrew Bartee and Lucien Postlewaite balance, float and pivot their way through an intricate duet in rehearsal is akin to watching human slipknots forming and dissolving in rapid, sensual sequence.

Exciting things are on the horizon for dance company Whim W’Him, which performs alongside live singers for the first time during its May 18-20 performance of “Approaching Ecstasy” at the Intiman Theatre.

The artistic director of Whim W’Him has been in West Michigan, serving as artist-in-residence to help Grand Rapids Ballet Company mount two shows of new choreography, pushing classical ballet into contemporary directions with elements of modern dance.

Wevers’ work is abstract, occasionally unfathomable. But the Belgian-born choreographer’s work also is riveting.

The conclusion of “ThrOwn” was strong, with four of the characters each dumping a small pile of “stones” on the victim, who is then lifted up. Again, this lighter and not exactly literal treatment of his subject matter actually makes a deeper impact – poetic.

Flower Festival reveals Wevers’ wit, as well as his ballet experience. Only that knowledge could could allow him to subvert it so wonderfully. Flower Festival also demonstrates Wevers’ gift for the pas de deux. He creates moments of true intimacy for two dancers. Even in ThrOwn, a work for five dancers, the duets stand out.

Some of Wevers’ most striking choreography comes from the ambivalence with which he freights a romantic pas de deux, and from the willingness of his dancers to act that out—Postlewaite and Eames twine limbs as if their bones were pickled.

“thrOwn” was a work full of contrasts—male vs. female, society vs. the individual, religion vs. reason—and so was the night as a whole. Wevers purposefully chose to pair the piece with the two comedic works, a move that galvanized the two sections completely. And while the first two were cleaner and more clear-cut, Wevers took a bold, mostly successful risk with “thrOwn,” tossing his own rock out of the circle of playing it safe.

There are moments of exquisite beauty nestled throughout the work, though most revolve around Eames: a tender duet with Postelwaite as her lover, a contorted and a heart-wrenching solo where she both pleads for help and resigns herself to her fate.

Indignity and grace get inextricably tangled together with a swagger and silliness that’s seamless.

Rather than end “Flower Festival” with a pose,Wevers has the lights go down as Bartee and Postlewaite are still struggling, turning each other by an outstretched leg in an endless circle of one chasing the other. It’s a clever and appropriate conclusion to a delightful romp that had the audience on its feet almost before the stage went to black.

thrOwn is about “righteous cruelty” and retribution, with images of punishment—flogging, electrocution, and stoning—rendered with the articulate virtuosity that is becoming Wevers’ kinetic signature.

thrOwn is not political, Wevers is careful to say, in the sense of tsking at Islamic theocracies from an elevated moral plane. He wants instead to explore the continuum of judgment that leads from personal disapproval to condemnation at the hands of society.

Olivier Wevers’ Flower Festival was performed by Seattle based Whim W’Him, a company who is completely new to me and who absolutely knocked me out with an amazing comic performance.

With Wevers and his company going from strength to strength, Seattle dance fans will naturally want to check in with them. They’ll get their chance next weekend when three new Wevers dances — two of them playful, one intense and sobering — are premiered at “Cast the First Rock in Twenty Twelve.”

Whim W’him stopped the show with a truly witty duet entitled FLOWER FESTIVAL, set to the familiar music of the Flower Festival at Genzano pas de deux.  Danced with spectacular dead-pan comic flair by PNB dancers Andrew Bartee and the inimitable Lucien Postlewaite, FLOWER FESTIVAL is one of the most amusing danceworks ever.

By receiving national and international recognition, Wevers is enjoying his role in helping to establish Seattle as a prime locale for dance, grateful for the support of a community that values the arts.

Seattle-based choreographer Olivier Wevers takes aim at gay bullying through an emotion-filled dance “Monster,” which can be seen as part of the upcoming Dance Under the Stars Choreography Festival this month.

Under Mr. Wevers leadership, Whim is quickly becoming recognized as the leader in our community for creating contemporary new works that are mesmerizing to audiences.

This month, we salute Olivier Wevers, Choreographer and Artistic Director at Seattle dance company Whim W’Him. As an artist and an innovator, Olivier uses hiscreative fervor for dance to infuse originality into a medium that has been practiced since the beginning of time.

Seattle choreographer Olivier Wevers, Artistic Director of Whim W’Him, has been awarded a prestigious 2011 Princess Grace Choreography Fellowship.

Whim W’Him was voted best Arts Organization by Seattle Weekly’s readers.

In late June, Wevers and his company assembled again at Intiman Theatre for reSet, an evening of dance both tempered by reflection, and driven to new heights by a young choreographer’s desire to better translate his vision to the stage.

It was the perfect evening to celebrate the talents of this fabulous dancer, who is someone to continue to watch as he emerges into the Seattle dance arena. We all wish him continued success with his new career as an artistic director and choreographer.

This is a company that is rapidly finding its voice. All that remains is for the voice to have something to tell. Since that has never been a problem for the ensemble, their next work promises something truly unique. One can hardly wait to see what it will be.

If you want to make a strong impression, it doesn’t hurt to say something twice. With “reSet,” Seattle choreographer Olivier Wevers and his company Whim W’Him offered dance lovers a chance to see two Wevers pieces a second time, as if to reiterate just how good they are.

One of the marks of a mature artist is discipline – the ability to pick and choose among one’s creative ideas and put only those that “fit” into a particular work. Based on Friday night’s performance by Whim W’Him, there’s no question Olivier Wevers is a mature talent who deserves recognition not just in Seattle but in New York and other dance capitals.

Wevers knows his choreography places great technical demands on his dancers, most of whom come from strict ballet backgrounds, and “It’s Not About the Money” is no exception. The music, by the hip New York group Billband, is uptempo and Wevers’ movements require rapid changes in direction. The three dancers dart every which way and when a break comes, they take full advantage to catch their breath from this energetic, abstract work.

There’s a nickname, “Whimmers,” for fans of Whim W’Him, the dazzling new dance troupe helmed by Seattle choreographer Olivier Wevers (newly retired from Pacific Northwest Ballet). There’s also an opportunity this weekend for Whimmers and Whim W’Him novices alike to savor this company’s talents and accomplishments.

Only in their second year, Whim W’Him have received extraordinary accolades from sources all around the country including Dance magazine, won a grand prize at the Dance Under The Stars competition for their piece Fragments, announced a five-year residency with the Intiman Theatre and made their international debut at the 4th Annual Choreography Festival in Copenhagen, the first American group to be invited to compete in their finals.

Maybe Whim W’Him is Wevers’ chance to cast off the treachery of image and expectation in his own life, helping us to help him emerge as a fresh new face in the Seattle dance community – maybe in a way that no one, not even himself, expects.

Shadows, Monsters and Raincoats establishes Olivier Wevers and Whim W’Him as a vital presence in Seattle’s contemporary dance landscape. Now, especially with Monster, Wevers demonstrates a maturity and confidence in his own choreographic voice. Let’s hope it won’t be another twelve months before the next performance.

This piece throbbed with such intense pain and aching tenderness. This exquisite ‘Monster’ –limping and wounded with the scars of fear—did what nothing else could. It opened my eyes to see the love behind the mask for the first timeÉand it was beautiful.

Monsters, a new triptych of duets by choreographer Olivier Wevers, was premiered on Friday by Wevers’ dance troupe Whim W’Him — and it’s a tightly knit stunner.

To capture in a photograph – or even a series of photographs – the amount of focus and control put forth by a ballet dancer is nearly impossible. The raw emotion and energy that is felt by being in their presence is extremely difficult to convey through one single image. I was lucky enough have the chance to attempt it with a behind-the-scenes glimpse of local dance group, Whim W’Him

They are all amazingly gifted artists and very giving and genuine and honest, and very down to earth. Everyone has an ego I’m sure, but you just don’t feel like that’s an obstacle here. Everyone is bringing their best work ethic and the best of themselves every day and I am completely blessed to be a part of it.

The inaugural show for Olivier Wevers’ Whim W’Him company at On the Boards last year created a big ruckus with the audience. In the lobby following the show, “Needs to be more radical” argued with “Not enough like ballet.” The debate continued on blogs and in the online comments to reviews. Both factions, and everyone in between, should come see the next episode in this young Belgian choreographer’s development.

Undoubtedly, “Shadows, Raincoats and Monsters” will be a tremendous success and catapult Whim W’Him into the realm of greatness, as Wevers is definitely one to watch.

Whim W’Him is more than the name of Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Olivier Wevers’ new dance company. It is an invitation. Whim refers to being whimsical, which means spontaneous. W’Him means ‘with him.’ The name means ‘be spontaneous with him.’ It has a musical rhythm, it’s catchy, easy to remember, and it doesn’t attach any name to it.

These riveting dancers—and Wevers, who also dances in Shadows—are master storytellers. Together with Wevers’ newest pieces, this work proves that Whim W’Him has much to offer. No doubt the next stage in the company’s evolution will be a multi-program season, in part made possible with its new resident status at the Intiman.

I first saw some of Oliver Wevers’ work, Ultimatum, at the 2008 Men in Dance recital. I loved it – that man knows how to make men dance.

In particular, a duet performed by PNB principal Lucien Postlewaite and Houston Ballet principal Melody Herrera mixes incredible formal flourishes, perfect diagonals and lifts. Yet another remarkable layer takes it beyond form and into an interpretation of a scene in your life I am positive you will recognize if you’ve experienced death or grief.

Every so often a dance work comes along that sears itself into one’s eye and soul. Olivier Wevers’ excerpt from his work-in-progress Monster (which will premiere in its entirety in January) is such a piece. The clear runaway hit of the first weekend of the Men In Dance festival, this excerpt explores the “monster” of prejudice, and worse, that homosexuals confront every day of their lives.

Whim W’Him was one of 12 finalists, out of 107 choreographic works, to perform in at the festival in front of an audience and an expert panel of 5 judges. The non-profit dance company earned grand prize honors, along with a $5,000 award.

Olivier Wevers’s occasionally witty “This Is Not a Raincoat,” inspired by the paintings of his fellow Belgian Rene Magritte, raised the curtain and showed the most craft.

3Seasons is Wevers’ best yet — one of the most intriguing dances I’ve seen in a while and the reason that I, for one, will be getting my tickets for his next program well in advance.

The highlight of the evening was the premier of Wevers’ new dance, 3Seasons. Wevers’ meditation on our consumerist society, 3Seasons is set to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, with a twist.

Never have I seen such a decisive take on our modern world that fused together the elements of style, wit, humor and hope so beautifully. In fact, I have a feeling that this piece will serve as the springboard by which all other collaborative efforts will be judged, and provide Whim W’him with a prominent position in the annals of dance history.

In September, when Olivier Wevers announced the details of his new company Whim W’Him, he lit a fuse of excitement that has burned steadily in the Seattle dance community ever since. Why the furore? This Belgian has been a favourite principal dancer at Pacific Northwest Ballet for 12 years. His choreography often ranks among the best in local dance festivals.

I would say do anything you can — cash in your life insurance, pawn your children, whatever it takes — to grab a ticket to “3Seasons,” the first full-length evening of work by Olivier Wevers and his new dance company, Whim W’Him.

If Wevers’ interests as choreographer extend beyond the boundaries of dance for art’s sake, and into environmental and social issues, he’s also establishing himself as a gesamtkunstwerk creative director, taking into consideration the possibilities of the theatrical experience.

Wevers says for him, the name Whim W’him conveys his whimsical approach to making dance, and some of the whimsy he hopes audiences will take away from the performance.

The choreographic style he’s developed in the past few years is also virtuosic and quirky, a highly physical, musical, and detailed approach. Seeing him right now may be similar to what it was like to see Twyla Tharp or Jirí Kylián early in their careers.

Besides being a superstar performer, Belgian-born Wevers has true choreographic talent — his phrases are never arbitrary; always probing at matters physical or psychological; there’s something mesmerizing about the gooey, sticky way his phrases come together.

…this month, the 38–year–old will strike out on his own, debuting his new dance company Whim W’Him with a performance of the ensemble piece Three Seasons. It’s a playful, provocative piece showcasing familiar Seattle dancers in new contexts—swapping gender roles, breaking classical ballet lines, and donning neo–tutus.

Actually with Whim W’him, there was a piece I choreographed in June. I videotaped it and watched it; I wasn’t happy with what I ended up with so I just scrapped it completely. But, really, that’s only a luxury I can afford by running this company and doing this with the time that I have.

Right now, Wevers’ choreographic life is on a roll, fueled by curiosity and enthusiasm.