Eighteen months in prison, suspended, loss of civil rights for a period of five years, compensation payment to the joint plaintiffs: This is the verdict that an Antwerp criminal court handed down on Friday against the choreographer, director and visual artist Jan Fabre. This was preceded by a spectacular process accusations, which twenty former dancers and employees of the Troubleyn dance company brought to the public in 2018. They accused their ex-boss of abuse of power, bullying, sexual harassment and a toxic working atmosphere. Fabre admitted to having made mistakes, but always rejected the specific allegations. During the trial, his lawyer described him as a “romantic anarchist” who had committed no criminal acts. The court came to a different conclusion: In six cases, Fabre’s guilt is proven, six others are already statute-barred. Therefore, the three-year prison sentence demanded by the public prosecutor’s office was almost halved in the end.
Fabre’s conviction has continued for years dance world shaken by “Me Too” scandals a signal: Misconduct is no longer a trivial offense. The 63-year-old Belgian is a contemporary choreographer and stage berserker who was admired worldwide for his intoxicating productions and celebrated as an avant-garde artist. That Fabre’s physical theatrical excesses didn’t end when the curtain fell came as no great surprise. What was more astonishing was the determination with which former employees defended themselves against their former guru – and the speed with which they dismantled his artistic aura. From blackmailing threats like “No Sex, No Solo” to choleric outbursts, Fabre has evidently established a kind of rehearsal tyranny under the guise of art.
The price he pays afterwards is high and not just of a legal nature. Museums and public institutions have banned Fabre’s works, funding has been canceled and performances of his pieces have been canceled in series. It is questionable whether he will ever recover as an artist. Representatives of the co-plaintiffs declared themselves satisfied with the verdict, while Fabre’s defense lawyers made no comment.