The interview is with Hans van Manen, a choreographer and the partner of Erwin Olaf, a photographer. They discuss their collaboration on a dance project called "Dance in Close-Up" for Hans' 90th birthday, which featured photos taken by Erwin. The conversation also touches on Erwin's artistic process, his ability to direct people on set, and how he became "his photographs." The interview is accompanied by images from the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam's retrospective of Erwin Olaf's work, titled "Freedom," which includes a section on dance featuring the collaboration between Hans van Manen and Erwin Olaf.
Hans van Manen Remembers Photographer Erwin Olaf
- Thread starter GlyphRush
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I'm loving this collab between Hans and Erwin. You know what I was saying about Hans' 90th birthday project last year? 
How he wanted to do something special to celebrate his life's work? Well, it sounds like he got just that with "Dance in Close-Up"! Using Erwin's photos is pure genius - those guys are total artistic souls, you can feel the energy behind their work. I mean, Erwin's ability to direct people on set is insane... has anyone seen him work before? 
It's not just about taking pretty pics, he's got this whole vision thing going on. And Hans' dance project is a testament to that - it's all about capturing the human spirit in these intimate moments. Anyway, I'm so excited to see more of "Freedom" at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam... hope they have some of Erwin's early work there too? 
How he wanted to do something special to celebrate his life's work? Well, it sounds like he got just that with "Dance in Close-Up"! Using Erwin's photos is pure genius - those guys are total artistic souls, you can feel the energy behind their work. I mean, Erwin's ability to direct people on set is insane... has anyone seen him work before? It's not just about taking pretty pics, he's got this whole vision thing going on. And Hans' dance project is a testament to that - it's all about capturing the human spirit in these intimate moments. Anyway, I'm so excited to see more of "Freedom" at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam... hope they have some of Erwin's early work there too? Hans' 90th birthday project sounds like an amazing idea! 
I love how he teamed up with his partner Erwin for this "Dance in Close-Up" project... it's really cool to see dance and photography come together like that. Erwin's artistic process is so interesting, like how he can make those photographs almost feel alive... and on set, I bet he's super hands-on, directing everyone around him! 
It's no wonder people are drawn to his work - it's just so captivating!
I love how he teamed up with his partner Erwin for this "Dance in Close-Up" project... it's really cool to see dance and photography come together like that. Erwin's artistic process is so interesting, like how he can make those photographs almost feel alive... and on set, I bet he's super hands-on, directing everyone around him! It's no wonder people are drawn to his work - it's just so captivating!I just found out that there's a 90-year-old choreographer making waves in the dance world with his partner's sick photos 
. I mean, can you imagine having a partner who's always looking at you from behind? 
That's what Erwin Olaf does for Hans van Manen, and it's like they're two peas in a pod... or should I say, two dancers in a studio 
.
So, Hans is celebrating his 90th birthday with this dope dance project, and let me tell you, the photos are on point
. Erwin Olaf's work is like a dream, and now it's being showcased alongside some amazing choreography. I'm not surprised they're making waves, though - they're basically two creative geniuses working together 
.
But what I want to know is, how does Erwin do it? Like, his photos are so... him. Does he have a secret formula or something? Probably just lots of coffee and passion 
️. Anyway, I'm loving the collaboration - who knows what other magic they'll make happen in the future?
. I mean, can you imagine having a partner who's always looking at you from behind? That's what Erwin Olaf does for Hans van Manen, and it's like they're two peas in a pod... or should I say, two dancers in a studio .So, Hans is celebrating his 90th birthday with this dope dance project, and let me tell you, the photos are on point
. Erwin Olaf's work is like a dream, and now it's being showcased alongside some amazing choreography. I'm not surprised they're making waves, though - they're basically two creative geniuses working together .But what I want to know is, how does Erwin do it? Like, his photos are so... him
. Does he have a secret formula or something? Probably just lots of coffee and passion ️. Anyway, I'm loving the collaboration - who knows what other magic they'll make happen in the future?
- UnknownLuv the new project by Hans & Erwin! 90th birthday celebration is so cool . I mean, who wouldn't want to see their partner's work shine like that? 
Their collab on "Dance in Close-Up" sounds mesmerizing - love how they brought together art forms to create something unique 
. And it's awesome that Erwin shared his process & thoughts, gives me chills! Hans is a legend too, 90 and still dancing... what an inspiration! 
The Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam's retrospective looks amazing by the way 
. I mean, who wouldn't want to see their partner's work shine like that? Their collab on "Dance in Close-Up" sounds mesmerizing - love how they brought together art forms to create something unique . And it's awesome that Erwin shared his process & thoughts, gives me chills! Hans is a legend too, 90 and still dancing... what an inspiration! The Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam's retrospective looks amazing by the way omg u guys i just watched this super interesting interview with hans van manen & erwin olaf about their collab on "Dance in Close-Up" for hans' 90th birthday i mean, who knew hans was a choreographer too?! it's so cool how they worked together, using erwin's photos as inspiration. i love how erwin talks about how he becomes one with his art, like, literally merges with the pics 
Hans' part of the convo about the dance project is also really interesting, especially when he talks about working with actors on set 
it's crazy how much thought & prep goes into something as simple as a photo or a dance move
i mean, who knew hans was a choreographer too?! it's so cool how they worked together, using erwin's photos as inspiration. i love how erwin talks about how he becomes one with his art, like, literally merges with the pics Hans' part of the convo about the dance project is also really interesting, especially when he talks about working with actors on set it's crazy how much thought & prep goes into something as simple as a photo or a dance move Man... 90th birthday party for a choreographer? That's dedication! I love how they're showcasing their art together - it feels so natural, like they were meant to collaborate. The photos of Erwin are stunning, he really has a way with his camera... It's interesting that he talks about becoming "his photographs" - I feel like that's true for artists, we pour our soul into our work and it becomes us. 
I'm curious about Hans' process too, how do you bring dance to life? Is it more about the movement or the music? It sounds like they have a great chemistry going on...
I'd love to see this "Dance in Close-Up" project live, what an experience that would be! 
That's dedication! I love how they're showcasing their art together - it feels so natural, like they were meant to collaborate. The photos of Erwin are stunning, he really has a way with his camera... It's interesting that he talks about becoming "his photographs" - I feel like that's true for artists, we pour our soul into our work and it becomes us. I'm curious about Hans' process too, how do you bring dance to life? Is it more about the movement or the music? It sounds like they have a great chemistry going on...
I'd love to see this "Dance in Close-Up" project live, what an experience that would be! I'm fascinated by this collab between Hans and Erwin, it's like they're dancing to their own rhythm . To me, it's all about embracing your true self and finding that balance between art and life. Erwin's work is so powerful, it's like he's captured a moment in time, you know? And then Hans takes those moments and turns them into movement, it's like they're speaking the same language .
It makes me think about how we all have our own unique style, just like they do. We might not be able to control everything around us, but what we can control is how we respond and create in the moment. It's all about being present and open to new experiences
. And I love how Erwin has found a way to direct people on set, it's like he's giving them permission to be themselves, you know? It's such an important lesson for us all, especially when we're feeling stuck or unsure of ourselves .
. To me, it's all about embracing your true self and finding that balance between art and life. Erwin's work is so powerful, it's like he's captured a moment in time, you know? And then Hans takes those moments and turns them into movement, it's like they're speaking the same language .It makes me think about how we all have our own unique style, just like they do. We might not be able to control everything around us, but what we can control is how we respond and create in the moment. It's all about being present and open to new experiences
. And I love how Erwin has found a way to direct people on set, it's like he's giving them permission to be themselves, you know? It's such an important lesson for us all, especially when we're feeling stuck or unsure of ourselves . just watched that interview with Hans van Manen and I gotta say, it's crazy how Erwin Olaf's photography is an integral part of his art... like, he's not just taking pics, he's creating this whole atmosphere with them . And Hans' dance project featuring those photos? it's a match made in heaven, the way they work together to evoke emotions through movement and image. But what struck me most is how Erwin describes his process – it's all about capturing the essence of a moment, like he's 'directing' people on set with just one glance ... kinda mind-blowing. anyway, can't wait to see more from Hans & Erwin's collab omg i cant even believe its 2025 already lol who thought it was a good idea to have a retrospective about erwin olafs old work tho? like, his photography is iconic and all but isnt he like retired or something? anywayz hans van manens choreography for his 90th bday dance proj seems super cool i love how they did "dance in close-up" its so fitting lol erwins process of directing ppl on set sounds super interesting never knew he was that good at it. btw why is everyone making a big deal about freedom? is it like, a movement or something?
lol who thought it was a good idea to have a retrospective about erwin olafs old work tho? like, his photography is iconic and all but isnt he like retired or something? anywayz hans van manens choreography for his 90th bday dance proj seems super cool i love how they did "dance in close-up" its so fitting lol erwins process of directing ppl on set sounds super interesting never knew he was that good at it. btw why is everyone making a big deal about freedom? is it like, a movement or something? omg i am literally dying over this!!! Hans & Erwin's collab is already giving me LIFE their dance project for Hans' 90th bday was SO EPIC, and seeing Erwin's photos displayed at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam's retrospective of "Freedom" is like a dream come true 
I mean, Erwin's process is so unique and fascinating - it's like he just lets his photography happen, you know? 
and Hans' choreography on top of that... wow! their partnership is truly inspiring 
i also loved seeing all the images from "Freedom" featured in the retrospective, it's clear why Erwin's work has been so celebrated for years 
can't wait to see what they come up with next!
their dance project for Hans' 90th bday was SO EPIC, and seeing Erwin's photos displayed at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam's retrospective of "Freedom" is like a dream come true I mean, Erwin's process is so unique and fascinating - it's like he just lets his photography happen, you know? and Hans' choreography on top of that... wow! their partnership is truly inspiring i also loved seeing all the images from "Freedom" featured in the retrospective, it's clear why Erwin's work has been so celebrated for years can't wait to see what they come up with next!You know what really struck me about this interview with Hans van Manen and Erwin Olaf... is how deeply intertwined their art forms are. I mean, think about it - dance and photography, two mediums that can evoke so much emotion and storytelling through movement and stillness. And the way they work together, it's like a beautiful conversation between two souls, each bringing their own unique perspective to the table.
It got me thinking, what is it about these two art forms that allows us to tap into something so fundamental about the human experience? Is it the way dance can capture the complexity of emotions in a single moment, while photography can freeze time and reveal hidden truths? Or is it something more... I don't know, maybe it's just the beauty of collaboration itself?
The thing that really resonated with me was how Erwin Olaf said he became his photographs. That's such a profound statement - it makes you think about what it means to be an artist, and how our work can become a part of us, or vice versa
It got me thinking, what is it about these two art forms that allows us to tap into something so fundamental about the human experience? Is it the way dance can capture the complexity of emotions in a single moment, while photography can freeze time and reveal hidden truths? Or is it something more... I don't know, maybe it's just the beauty of collaboration itself?
The thing that really resonated with me was how Erwin Olaf said he became his photographs. That's such a profound statement - it makes you think about what it means to be an artist, and how our work can become a part of us, or vice versa
omg i love this collab its so cool to see these 2 talented ppl workin together! erwin olaf's photography is insane btw, i mean his ability to capture the human form is just wow 
and now thats combined with hans van manens choreogphy... pure magic 
idk about people sayin that erwin has 'become' his photographs tho im not sure i agree w/ that statement. like, erwin is an incredible photographer cuz he's got a certain vision and skill, but cant we just appreciate both his photography & hans van manens choreogphy as separate art forms? 
anywayz can't wait to check out this dance project 'dance in close-up'!!! 90th birthday bash for hans van manen tho... what a celebration!
its so cool to see these 2 talented ppl workin together! erwin olaf's photography is insane btw, i mean his ability to capture the human form is just wow and now thats combined with hans van manens choreogphy... pure magic idk about people sayin that erwin has 'become' his photographs tho
im not sure i agree w/ that statement. like, erwin is an incredible photographer cuz he's got a certain vision and skill, but cant we just appreciate both his photography & hans van manens choreogphy as separate art forms? anywayz can't wait to check out this dance project 'dance in close-up'!!! 90th birthday bash for hans van manen tho... what a celebration!
I'm so down for this new collab between Hans van Manen and Erwin Olaf . As a choreographer and photographer duo, I think they're gonna bring something fresh to the table. Their idea of "Dance in Close-Up" is super interesting - I love how it combines movement with photography. It's like, you get this visual representation of music and dance that's not just about performing, but also about telling a story . And can we talk about Erwin's process? He's always been so introspective about his art, which I think is really cool. It's like, he's found a way to channel his thoughts and emotions into these powerful images. I'm not gonna lie, though - sometimes I worry that our obsession with this stuff is gonna be our downfall 
. We're all just trying to capture the perfect moment, but what if we can't quite get it right? Still, I think Hans and Erwin's collab has potential - let's see how it plays out 
.
. As a choreographer and photographer duo, I think they're gonna bring something fresh to the table. Their idea of "Dance in Close-Up" is super interesting - I love how it combines movement with photography. It's like, you get this visual representation of music and dance that's not just about performing, but also about telling a story . And can we talk about Erwin's process? He's always been so introspective about his art, which I think is really cool. It's like, he's found a way to channel his thoughts and emotions into these powerful images. I'm not gonna lie, though - sometimes I worry that our obsession with this stuff is gonna be our downfall . We're all just trying to capture the perfect moment, but what if we can't quite get it right? Still, I think Hans and Erwin's collab has potential - let's see how it plays out .