ABOUT WHIM W’HIM
mission
Whim W’Him nurtures community with contemporary dance by cultivating space
for artists to imagine and explore the human condition
history
Founded in 2009, Whim W’Him is an award-winning Seattle-based contemporary dance company that showcases innovative dance in collaboration with global artists.
Past collaborators include Danielle Agami, Juanjo Arques, Andrew Bartee, Adam Barruch, Banning Bouldin, Rena Butler, Jonathan Campbell, Mark Caserta, Ethan Colangelo, Brendan Duggan, Lauren Edson, James Gregg, Mark Haim, Joseph Hernandez, Larry Keigwin, Maurya Kerr, Alice Klock, Gabrielle Lamb, Loni Landon, Florian Lochner, MADBOOTS, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Madison Olandt, Joshua Peugh, Bruno Roque, Omar Román De Jesús, Ihsan Rustem, Penny Saunders, Zoe Scofield, Micaela Taylor, Pascal Touzeau, Mike Tyus, Manuel Vignoulle, Kate Wallich, Dominic Walsh, Olivier Wevers and Yin Yue.
where we whim
We perform at Cornish Playhouse at Seattle Center, Erickson Theater, Vashon Center for The Arts, and Whidbey Island Center for the Arts
Our rehearsals take place at Yaw Theater
The Whim W’Him administrative office is located at 3417 Evanston Ave. N. #229, Seattle, WA 98103
awards
“Best Dance Organization” -TeenTix (2017)
“Best Dance Company” Seattle Weekly Readers (2017)
“Seattle Mayor’s Arts Award” -City of Seattle (2012)
“Best Arts Organization” -Seattle Weekly Readers (2011)
history
Founded in 2009, Whim W’Him is an award-winning Seattle-based contemporary dance company that showcases innovative dance in collaboration with global artists.
Past collaborators include: Danielle Agami, Juanjo Arques, Andrew Bartee, Adam Barruch, Banning Bouldin, Jonathan Campbell, Brendan Duggan, Lauren Edson, James Gregg, Mark Haim, Joseph Hernandez, Larry Keigwin, Maurya Kerr, Alice Klock, Gabrielle Lamb, Loni Landon, Florian Lochner, MADBOOTS, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Madison Olandt, Joshua Peugh, Bruno Roque, Omar Román De Jesús, Ihsan Rustem, Penny Saunders, Zoe Scofield, Pascal Touzeau, Mike Tyus, Manuel Vignoulle, Kate Wallich, Dominic Walsh, Olivier Wevers and Yin Yue.
where we whim
We perform at Cornish Playhouse at Seattle Center, Vashon Center for The Arts, and Whidbey Island Center for the Arts
Our rehearsals take place at Yaw Theater
The Whim W’Him administrative office is located at 3417 Evanston Ave. N. #229, Seattle, WA 98103
awards
“Best Dance Organization” -TeenTix (2017)
“Best Dance Company” Seattle Weekly Readers (2017)
“Seattle Mayor’s Arts Award” -City of Seattle (2012)
“Best Arts Organization” -Seattle Weekly Readers (2011)
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
he/him/his
From ballet training in his native Belgium, Olivier learned the beauty, passion and discipline of the art. On coming to North America at age 19, he discovered the exhilaration of many new dance forms. As a principal dancer, first with Royal Winnipeg Ballet and later, for most of his dancing career, with Pacific Northwest Ballet, he acquired his strong conviction that dancers are the heart and soul of a company. As such they, and artists in general, must live at the very center of the process, their dignity, psychological and creative growth and safety deemed just as essential as their technical accomplishments.
During his years of performing in classical and contemporary works by choreographers from around the world, Olivier also discovered the thrill of making dances and how imaginative story-telling and movement exploration connect to caring about individuality and physicality. Creating dances fed his perennial curiosity. It became “my way to express myself and, during the process, to be able to learn more about the human condition, start dialogues, touch people and share ideas, reflecting on our times and our humanity.”
DANCERS
- michael arellano
- jane cracovaner
- nell josephine
- andrew mcshea
- leah misano
- kyle sangil
- karl watson
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
he/him/his
Originally from Brussels, Belgium, Olivier is the founder and Artistic Director of Seattle’s critically acclaimed contemporary dance company Whim W’Him. In 2012 Olivier was honored with the City of Seattle’s Mayor’s Arts Award and in 2011 he received the Princess Grace Choreographic Fellowship. In both 2011 and 2010 Olivier’s work took home the grand prize award at the Annual Dance Under the Stars Choreography Festival in California and he has also been named by Dance Magazine as one of their 25 to watch.
OPPORTUNITIES
Find out about our audition process
Find out about our call for choreographers for our annual CHOREOGRAPHIC SHINDIG
PAST CREATIONS
Learn about the 79 new contemporary dance creations that Whim W’Him has premiered since 2010
OPPORTUNITIES
Find out about our audition process
Find out about our call for choreographers for our annual CHOREOGRAPHIC SHINDIG
PAST CREATIONS
Learn about the 79 new contemporary dance creations that Whim W’Him has premiered since 2010
VISION
Enriching lives by investing in imagination,
illuminating that art exists within each and everyone
VALUES
people first always
We recognize the humanity of our artists, staff, and collaborators and treat everyone with compassion and empathy, honoring everyone’s mental, physical, and spiritual needs above all else.
diversity, equity, and inclusion
We actively seek out and embrace a diversity of people, ideas, talents, and experiences. We work to recognize and dismantle inequities and systemic oppression within our organization and in the dance field. We keep our commitment to accessibility and inclusivity at the forefront of our policies and practices.
trust and respect
We want our artists to thrive, take ownership of their place within Whim W’Him, and innovate in a brave and creative space. We listen attentively, speak candidly, and treat others respectfully, always assuming positive intent.
gratitude and humility
We share space with honesty, transparency, and vulnerability. We value the efforts of others and show appreciation, support, and kindness. We practice humility in our relationships.
curiosity
We are curious about fresh possibilities and embrace risk, creating new works that challenge and inspire. We bring a commitment to lifelong learning to our work.
community
We represent, uplift, and invest in community through our work, who we collaborate with, and where we perform. We push our limits and challenge our decisions. We innovate and explore to foster the social changes we want to see.
accountability
We nurture an organizational culture that embraces adaptability, aims for excellence, and doesn’t dwell on mistakes or make excuses. We accept responsibility for our actions, work to repair harm done, and don’t blame others.
organizational sustainability
We are responsible and creative stewards of our resources.