Didy Veldman
Project Manager, Freelance Choreographer, Contemporary Dance Teacher based in Utrecht, NL
Photography @dancers_eye
About
Didy Veldman was born in the Netherlands and is passionate about creating innovative productions, using her ideas to stimulate institutions, dancers, composers, artistic directors, teachers, students and audiences. Using movement as a tool to connect and create dance performances, film, opera, and musical theatre. She has worked on large productions at international institutions with symphony orchestra as well as setting up her own UK based charity and connecting to the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society to inspire people to dance.
She was trained in numerous techniques at the Scapino Academy in Amsterdam. Following her training she went on to dance with Scapino Ballet, Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève and Britain's Rambert Dance Company. She began choreographing in 1987, creating work for the repertoire of all three companies, as well as independently.
In 1992, Didy Veldman started her own dance company ‘Alias’ with Guilherme Botelho in Geneva. Their first work ‘En Manqué’ was performed to great acclaim in London, Glasgow, Zurich and Lausanne. The production also won two major choreographic awards: the Dance Exchange International 1993 and the Prix Romand des Spectacles indépendents 1994. Didy Veldman left Alias after an invitation by Christopher Bruce to join Rambert Dance Company in 1994.
Whilst being a dancer with Rambert Dance Company, she created works for the repertory. She received a grant from the Choo-San Goh & Robert Magee Foundation for her third production with Rambert and this production won the Linbury Prize for Stage Design created by Miriam Buether.
Didy left Rambert in 2000 to concentrate on her choreographic career. She has 23 years of freelance experience and has created over 50 new works for 30 international companies, such as Cedarlake, Goteborg Ballet, Ballet Gulbenkian, Iceland Dance Company, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal, Lithuanian National Ballet, Leipzig Ballet, New Zealand Ballet, Scottish Dance Theatre, Northern Ballet, Cullberg Ballet, Komische Oper Berlin and Geneva Ballet, creating full evening story-telling works with symphony orchestra to smaller works as part of a triple bill. Before Covid she created a new work for Birmingham Royal Ballet ‘Sense of Time’ together with Composer Gabriel Prokofiev, which had its London premiere on 25 June 2019. She set up a project together with 6 international ballet schools, edited by The Ballet Boyz, a work choreographed through Zoom which involved over 100 international ballet students and was presented during World Ballet School day. She recently premiered a new full evening production of a re-imagined Carmen with Royal Ballet Principal, Natalia Osipova, and San Fransisco Ballet principal, Isaac Hernandez to great critical acclaim. London performances took place at the end of May ‘22 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall at, The Acropolis in Athens and in April ‘23 in Tel Aviv.
In 2016 she was selected to be part of the 8th rural retreat of future leaders in dance, at The Jerwood Dancehouse in Ipswich. She is now directing her own dance company ‘Humanoove' in London, which she founded in 2016 with support from Arts Council England, DanceEast and several trusts and private donors. She recently premiered her third production ‘@HOME’. ‘Humanoove’ performs nationally and internationally.
Didy also has a keen interest in teaching students, she is currently contemporary programme manager at the Royal Ballet School and travels the world teaching contemporary classes and workshops. She has an affiliation with Prix de Lausanne, as a contemporary teacher and choreographer, she created a new work for the Partner School Choreographic Project in 2019 called ‘Is to B’ for 26 students. She works with National Ballet School in Amsterdam, The Royal Ballet School in London, Rosella Hightower PNSD, Codarts in Rotterdam, McDonald College in Sydney Australia, Rambert Dance Company and Rambert School and London School of Contemporary Dance amongst others and was invited in 2010, 2013 & 2018 as a Guest Artist Choreographer at the school of Jacob’s Pillow USA, for their Contemporary Program. Didy was Co-Director of the Contemporary Program of the School at Jacob’s Pillow together with Milton Myers from 2019-2021. She has been part of audition, exam and assessment committees as well as a judge for choreographic competitions.
Photography by Chris Akril,@dancers_eye, Pierre Tappon.
Movement classes for people with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Want to join us?
Please contact
veldmandidy@gmail.com
Since I was diagnosed with RA in 2013 I’ve had to learn to deal with movement and my body in a totally different manner. Now ten years later and after 2 hip replacements one in ‘18 and ‘19, I wanted to share the knowledge I’ve gained. I connected to the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society and offered to teach some classes during the Covid period to support others and share my knowledge of movement. This was a wonderful experience. I believe with RA, it is important to move and to keep the body flexible and the joints well oiled, so to speak. I started offering more regular movement classes, first through the NRAS and now I’m offering Zoom classes for anybody who would like to join. No previous dance experience is needed and with or without RA you are most welcome :) Currently I have a group I work with each Thursday morning. Please contact me on veldmandidy@gmail.com if you are interested or would like to know a little more.
CARMEN
Created for Natalia Osipova, Isaac Hernandez, Jason Kittelberger, Hannah Ekholm and Eryck Brahmania.
Premiere 17 Dec. 2021 Edinburgh
Jason Kittelberger introduced Didy to Natalia Osipova in Oct 2019, they invited her to create a new work for 5 dancers. After several discussions the idea of Carmen took root and Didy set out to write a scenario for a small cast. Producer Alexandrina Markvo, from Bird&Carrot supported the production and was excited about this idea and together with composer Dave Price and set&costume designer Nina Kobiashvili, the team set out to create a new Carmen. Carmen has been performed in Edinburgh, London, Athens and Tel Aviv to great critical acclaim.
Photograhpy Amanda Fordyce, Annabel Moeller
#4
Created for Ballet Osnabrück, a sketch created for 4 woman in 5 days on parts of Schubert’s Death and the Maiden.
Premiere 13 May 2023
Photography @oliver_look
A screen apart
Created with over 100 students from 6 International top Ballet Schools including The Royal Ballet School and the Paris Opera School during the first lockdown in March 2020.
Premiere 7 July 2020 during World Ballet School Day
Sense of time
Premiere 12 June 2019
BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET
“‘Ravishing risk-taking’ Guardian ****”
“A terrific show, experiencing dance as a surge of emotion
Judith Mackrell, The Guardian ****”
@HOme
Work in progress for Humanoove
Premiere 2020
frame of view
created for Cedarlake, premiere January 2009
Re-staged for Danish Dance Theatre 2018
“The result was continuously ingenious and beguiling.
John Rockwell, The New York Times.
”
see blue through
Premiere Ballet Gulbenkian 2001
Re-staged for Phoenix Dance Theatre in 2004 & 2014, Introdans 2016 & Ballet Leipzig in 2018
The Little Prince
Created for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal in 2012 and re-staged in 2015
“ ‘A fascinating delicacy with dreamlike and captivating beauty that leaves you speechless.
Aline Apostolska La Presse”
The 3 Dancers
Created for Rambert, premiered 2015
Re-staged for Introdans 2018
The Knot
Created for Humanoove, 2018
TooT
Originally created for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal in 2008 and re-staged in 2013.
Re-staged for Introdans in 2015 and Ballet Leipzig in 2018
Latest projects
In Oct. ‘23 I started a new work called ‘Freemd’ with Igone de Jongh and 4 fabulous dancers, working in my own country, sleeping in my own bed each night and the work is touring around 37 theatres in The Netherlands. Review Volkrant **** ‘Didy Veldman her dance, murder mystery is a pleasurable surprise, the best work of the evening”
Carmen created for Natalia Osipova, Isaac Hernandez, Jason Kittelberger, Hannah Ekholm and Eryck Brahmania had its premiere in Edinburgh on 17 Dec. ‘21, and received 5* reviews. The performance has toured to London at the QEH, Athens at the Acropolis and Israel in 2023.
Is to Be, created for the Partner Schools of the Prix de Lausanne, which has been re-stage for The Royal Ballet School, Palucca Hochschule was re-staged for Dutch National Ballet Academy for their end of year performance in 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb3oRjRJwYo
#4 a new creation for Dance Company/Theatre Osnabrück which took place in May 2023
Frame of View was re-staged for Augsburg Ballet, premiere on 22 Dec.2022
Didy took on the position of Contemporary Program Manager at The Royal Ballet School in July 2021 https://www.royalballetschool.org.uk/2022/03/01/in-conversation-with-didy-veldman/
Didy was working with 4 fabulous dancers from The Royal Ballet on a new creation, Holding On To Letting Go for Draft Works at ROH Linbury Theatre. Postponed due to Covid.
Terra created for Cannes Jeunes Ballet Rosella Hightower was performed 23 June ‘21 at Scène 55 in Mougins, 9 July in Lorgues and 11 July in Tour D’Aigues
Soufflé, was created for Transitions Dance Company and an extended version of Not so Strictly for English National Ballet School is in the making for their end of year performance in July ‘21.
100+ students from six international ballet schools worked with choreographer Didy Veldman exploring the theme of physical restriction in A Screen Apart produced by The Royal Ballet School on music by Johann Sebastian Bach. Edited by the BalletyBoyz.
Sense of Time was created for Birmingham Royal Ballet together with Composer Gabriel Prokofiev, which premiered 12 June ‘19. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMJuVOWJ8uQ
Oper Leipzig performed See Blue Through and TooT during the same evening on 30 June, 1 & 2 July, 21 Sept & 21 Nov. 2018.
They will be performing See Blue Through as part of a triple bill in Leipzig on:
08.04.2020 at 7.30PM
17.04.2020 at 7.30PM
22.05.2020 at 7.30Pm
11.06.2020 at 7.30PM
http://www.oper-leipzig.de/en/das-leipziger-ballett
Humanoove is Didy’s own Dance Company based in London. If you like to know more about this adventure please have a look at the website.
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
Touring CARMEN with Natalia Osipova.
New creation for Igone de Jongh.
Re-Staging Is to Be, for Dutch National Ballet Academy
#4 for Dance Company/Theatre Osnabrück.
Creating and re-staging works with PSND Rosella Hightower in Cannes as well as Tring Park School in the UK.
Holding on to Letting Go, creation for The Royal Ballet, Draft works 2022.(postponed due to Covid)
Touring Carmen with Natalia Osipova, London performances on 27 & 28 May 2022.
Is to Be, re-staging for Palucca Hochschule in Dresden.
Re-Staging Frame of View for Ballet Augsburg.
Touring @ HOME with Humanoove.
Creation Carmen, a new production for and with Natalia Osipova, premiere 17 Dec. EICC, Edinburgh.
Creation for The Royal Ballet, Draft works, postponed due to Covid to May 2022.
Creation Soufflé for Transitions, Laban
Re-staging Is to Be for the Royal Ballet School, Royal Opera House performance
Premiere @HOME for Humanoove, Canterbury.
Creation Terra for Junior Company Rosella Hightower in Cannes.
Creation A Screen Apart, first virtual work with 100+ students of 6 International Ballet Schools.
Re-staging Is to Be for the Royal Ballet School and the Youth Olympic Games opening ceremony in Lausanne.
Teaching/Mentoring and creating new work for English National Ballet School Not So Strictly, Central School of Ballet, Palucca Hochschule Dresden and The School at Jacob’s Pillow, USA
Creation Is to Be The Partner Schools of The Prix de Lausanne.
Creation ‘a.part’ for Map Dance, Chichester University.
Creation Sense of Time for Birmingham Royal Ballet, together with composer Gabriel Prokofiev.
Research and development for a new work called @HOME for Humanoove
Creation Made in Holland for National Ballet School in Amsterdam
Touring The Happiness Project with Humanoove at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival
2018
Re-staging Frame of View, for Danish Dance Theatre, premiere Copenhagen 20 Jan. '18
Premiere of The Knot for Humanoove/Didy Veldman 9 Feb '18 at DanceEast in Ipswich, UK
National and International touring of The Knot.
Re-staging of TooT & See Blue Through for Leipzig Ballet, premiere 29 June '18
Re-staging of The 3 Dancers for Introdans in Holland, premiere 14 Sept. '18
International Guest Artist at the school of Jacob's Pillow, USA
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
Touring The Happiness project nationally with performances at The Place 2 & 3 May '17
Re-staging of Frame of View for Danish Dance Theatre
Creating a new work for the graduate students of the Rambert School
Teaching contemporary classes at the Royal Ballet Upper and Lower school
Teaching contemporary classes at the Prix de Lausanne
Creation 'The Happiness Project' for Umanoove/ Didy Veldman premiere 4 Nov. Ipswich
Creation '360º' for Luzerner Theater, Switzerland
Creation for graduate year of the London Contemporary Dance School
Teach at the Royal Ballet Summer School
Choreographic workshop for the Mercury Movers, Rambert's elderly group of dancers
Choreographic workshops for the Royal Ballet School
Creation 'The 3 Dancers' for Rambert Dance Company, UK
Re-working of 'The Little Prince' for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens
New Creation for the graduating students of the London Contemporary Dance School
Choreography for the Opera of Tristan & Isolde, Longborough Festival, UK
Re-staging of 'TooT' for the Youth Company Introdans, NL
Re-staging of 'See Blue Through' for Phoenix Dance Theatre, UK
Creating new work with the 2nd year students of the Modern Theatre Dance Academy in Amsterdam
Re-staging of 'TooT' for Les Grands Ballets, Montréal
Creation 'Les Noces' for Le Grand Théâtre de Genève
Re-staging of 'Carmen' for the Lithuanian National Ballet
Creation 'The Little Prince' a full evening work for Les Grands Ballets, Montréal
Creation 'In the Skin I'm in 1,2 & 3' 3 Solos, created for a new Company called Headspace, UK
Re-staging of 'Momo' created for Ballet Bern
2011
Creation 'Language matters' for Ballet Mainz
Re-staging part of 'TooT' for Introdans, NL
Creation 'Kind of a Sort' for Northwest Dance Project, Portland US
Re-staging of part of 'See Blue Through' for Dutch National Ballet Academie
2010
Creation 'Momo' for Ballet Bern, Switzerland
Re-staging of 'Carmen' for the Royal New Zealand Ballet
Staging for 'The Beatles' a musical/play directed by Ruut Weisman
Staging of 'Toon' a musical directed by Ruut Weisman
2009
Creation 'Session' for Introdans, Holland
2008
Creation 'frame of view' for Cedarlake, New-York U.S.A
Re-staging of 'Track' for Swedish Youth Company
2007
Creation 'Cinderella' for Goteborg Ballet Sweden
Creation 'stop and go yes and no' for Introdans Holland
Creation 'Peter & the Wolf' with In the Wings
2006
Creation 'Sweet & Sour' for Iceland Dance Company
Re-staging of 'See Blue Through' for Introdans
Re-staging of 'Tender Hooks' for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal
2005
Re-staging of 'Tender Hooks' for Skanes Dansteater Sweden
Creation 'TooT' for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal
Re-staging of 'See Blue Through' for Company Loaded Australia
2004
Creation 'Outsight' for Ballet Gulbenkian
Re-staging of 'See Blue Through' for Phoenix Dance Theatre
Creation 'Track' for Scottish Dance Theatre
2003
Creation 'O' (She who was) for Komische Oper Berlin
Creation 'Tender Hooks' for Ballet Gulbenkian
2002
Re-staging of Carmen for New Zealand Ballet
Creation I remember red for Cullberg Ballet
Documentary I remember red by ARTE
Creation Possibly Six for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal
Filming of See Blue Through for Television at Gran Liceu Barcelona
2001
Creation A Streetcar Named Desire (full length) for Northern Ballet Theatre
Creation See Blue Through for Ballet Gulbenkian
Creation Chase Case for Eurovision Young Dancer of the Year
2000
Re-staging of Carmen for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal
Creation 7 DS for Rambert Dance Company
Revival of Greymatter for Rambert Dance Company
1999 Creation Carmen (full length) for Northern Ballet Theatre
1998 Creation Somna for Ballet Central
1997 Creation Greymatter for Rambert Dance Company
1996 Filming of Kol Simcha with Rambert Dance Company
1995 Creation Kol Simcha for Rambert Dance Company
1994 Creation En Manqué with Alias Company
1993 Creation 40 Watt for Le Grands Theatre de Geneve
1991 Creation Close for Le Grands Theatre de Geneve
1988 Creation Kleur bekennen for Scapino Ballet
1987 Encouragement Perspective Prize for Sem Titulo
Creation Sem Titulo for Scapino Ballet
press
‘Veldman’s smoothly expressive and expansive choreography, feels so natural and organic- so human’
The best of Veldman’s three Humanoove shows.
@ HOME ****DanceTabs, Bruce Marriott
‘Fluent, beautifully inventive choreography’
@ HOME ****The Guardian, Sanjoy Roy
‘Veldman’s choreography is inventive and distinctive’
@ HOME Dance Europe, Mike Dixon
‘A highly innovative, fast moving, restless piece with music by Gabriel Prokofiev’
Sense of Time, Ana Selby, Arbuturian online review
The ensemble work surged with urgency and coherence, the whole piece commanded attention from beginning to end, an excellent addition to the company’s repertoire.
Sense of Time, Vicky Westall-Eyre
‘One of the most interesting, innovative pieces to come out of the company in a long time’
Sense of Time, David Mead, Seeing Dance
‘A gorgeous dance of contrasting dynamics and styles, and of light and shadow’
The 3 Dancers, David Mead,Seeing Dance
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/aug/31/picasso-the-three-dancers-didy-veldman-rambert-dance
‘A gorgeous dance of contrasting dynamics and styles, and of light and shadow’
The 3 Dancers, David Mead,Seeing Dance
This artist understands performance, knows how to create ensemble work, has a talent to marry rhythm, humour and beautiful images in perfect adequacy with the music. This 'Les Noces' deserves to be danced often.
Les Noces, Benjamin Chaix Tribune de Genève.
Freezing intervals, images and dancing bodies, Didy Veldman has perfectly captured the essence of ‘Les Noces’.
Les Noces, Le Temps, Alexandre Demidoff, Genève.
"Wow." is the word that comes to mind when I think back to The Little Prince, a touching, captivating and ingenious work by choreographer Didy Veldman for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal.
Vanessa Guimond, Le Journal de Montréal.
'There is a quality in the research of movement by Choreographer Didy Veldman which is extraordinary'
TooT Chroniqueure culturelle
'It's a startling piece of dance drama'
Carmen The Post
'Didy Veldman is that rare bird, an artist who excels as both dancer and choreographer'
Kol Simcha USA Dance Magazine.
Veldman's choreography is supremely assured and creatively original.
Tender Hooks Dance Europe
'A work sensitive to human sentiments penetrated by the most diverse emotions, rhythms and energies.'
See Blue Through Net Parque
'A melancholic, intelligent piece not easily forgotten!'
O Phospor Live
'Sharp and full of treasures'
Track Guardian
'Veldman's skill in melding humour and serious insight ensures our laughter has a sympathetic note to it.'
Track The Herald.
'Didy Veldman's Possibly Six had wit, intelligence and plenty of cool'
Possibly Six Montreal Gazette
'Veldman is a genius of choreographic movement'
TooT Music & Vision Dialy
The choreography is magnificent.The movements are at times a dialogue or questioning, spread from one body to another of an intensity and staggering beauty.
The Little Prince, Ariane Bavalier, Le Figaro
The Little Prince created by Didy Veldman for Les Grands Ballets is a fascinating delicacy. A dreamlike and captivating beauty that leaves you speechless.Aline Apostolska La Presse
The result was continuously ingenious and beguiling. The eight men and seven women cavorted and played, but also acted out more troubling scenarios hinting at loneliness and despair. There were props (the curved, circus-ring benches, silvery on one side; red balloons) and cryptic speech and plenty of cute but not too cute dancing.
TooT, John Rockwell The New York Times.
In TooT (2005), Dutch dancer-choreographer Didy Veldman deploys an intriguing metaphor-political repression as a one-ring circus. Her well-chosen music juxtaposes movements of Shostakovich's desperately sardonic Suite No. 2 for Jazz Orchestra with mournful compositions by the Balanescu Quartet. Veldman builds her case slowly and inexorably. The movement of the white-faced clowns seems, at first, merely athletic and playful. They tumble and leap. Soon, the dancers are responding to spoken commands and, like dutiful conformists, fall into line. You feel they would jump off a cliff, if so ordered. Even clusters of brightly colored balloons cannot eradicate the slightly sinister atmosphere.
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA
https://www.didyveldman.com/documentenmap/pdf/interview-didy-veldman-the-dancing-times.pdf
https://www.jacobspillow.org/events/umanoove-didy-veldman/
Didy Veldman demonstrates how people force themselves into the barriers of the accepted and the 'norm.' Interesting themes as well as visual intrigue surely makes this piece the 'food for thought' of the evening.
Track, Ballet-Dance Magazine by Katherine Phillips
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RT @asIiceofhistory: Sometimes it's important to know where you're standing https://t.co/V3FprpbzXd
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RT @singinghaggis: Some useful resources for our community. Help is out there. Sending love and strength to one and all! 💜 https://t.co/qlHNKaOFpA
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Didy Veldman will create a new ‘Carmen’ for the ravishing @NatOsipova and @IsaacHdezF at Edinburgh’s @eicc this mon… https://t.co/bTlGGpfl80
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RT @lucy_bayliss: It was so uplifting to see such an incredible cast this eve in @ HOME by @didyveldman1 at @dance_east A show well p… https://t.co/iVtfUtJhNP
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RT @tombowesdance: What beautiful dancing!! Great performance of @ HOME by @didyveldman1 at @dance_east! What incredible dancers 🤌🏻
photos
CARMEN
Sense of Time
photography Roy Smiljanic and Bill Cooper
FRAME OF VIEW
Photography
The 3 Dancers
Photography Pierre Tapon & Stephen Wright
see blue through
Photography Ida Zenna
CINDERELLA
photography Ingmar Jernberg
TooT
Photography Ida Zenna & Jean-Laurent Ratel
THe KNot
Photography Chris Nash
IS TO BE
Choreographic Project of the Prix de Lausanne 2019 together with 13 partner schools and 26 dancers.
Dancenhance
Age 12+
Didy teaching at the Prix de Lausanne
Didy Veldman and Emma Northmore (Ballet Boost) are very excited to announce the launch of DancEnhance in ‘22. Fabulous Masterclasses of Contemporary Dance, Ballet and Choreography by outstanding teachers and choreographers which are held at The Royal Ballet School studios on a monthly basis.
After the success of our Return to the Studio course in the summer of 20/21 we wanted to offer a further ‘stretch’ in terms of the thinking dancer and their Contemporary experiences. The masterclasses are for students aged 12+ who are interested in deepening their knowledge of contemporary dance. We are offering a collection of classes, focussing on widening their contemporary knowledge, awakening movement qualities, creativity, and giving students an introduction to working with choreographers.
In this ever-evolving world where a classical dancer can no longer get by on ballet alone, we wanted to provide a vocational level of support which will assist in many ways; auditions, work prospects and general growth as a dancer of today. All Fully complementing any regular training.
The DancEnhance courses are fun, of a high standard, for the serious dancer who is interested in expanding their potential.
LOCATION
Royal Ballet School Studios Fabric, Level 5 Birmingham Hippodrome
Covent Garden Thorpe Street B5 4TB
London Birmingham
From 10am until 3.30pm From 2.15-4pm
Dates 23/24 Dates 2024
17 September 21 April
1 October 26 May
19 November 9 June
3 December 14 July
7 & 21 January
4 & 25 February
3 March
28 April
12 & 26 May
9 & 23 June
14 July
Ballet Class in London by Emma Northmore
Contemporary Class and Choreographic work in London by Didy Veldman
Contemporary Class in Birmingham Gemma Nixon
These rotate and could take place with external guests.
Please follow our facebook page @DEnhance Instagram dance.enhance or contact us on danceenhance@yahoo.com
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