Last seen in the UK in 2012, one of the world’s most celebrated contemporary dance companies, Nederlands Dans Theater 2 returns this spring for a Dance Consortium UK tour and is coming to Mayflower Theatre on April 15 and 16.
NDT2 brings vibrant mixed bills to the stage in performances complemented by visual art, music composition, innovative lighting, set and costume designs.
The programme will include I New Then, the UK premiere of mutual comfort, Solo and Cacti.
I New Then, by Swedish choreographer Johan Inger, sees four girls and five boys taken to great heights on songs by Van Morrison. Not a group in unison, but sprouting individuals who rebel against it.
Romanian choreographer Edward Clug makes his NDT2 debut with mutual comfort. The choreography is detailed, sharply defined and at times features a twitchiness where the bodies flick and jerk. Clug is interested in highlighting the dancers’ individual stories in his work.
Choreographer Hans van Manen's seven minute, fast-paced ballet Solo is set to Johann Sebastian Bach’s violin partita. Solo is an athletic tour-de-force for three male dancers who portray a single man re-examining his place in the world. Since the choreography is exceptionally fast requiring extraordinary timing, the ballet can only be performed by the dancers taking turns.
In Cacti, 16 dancers become the instruments of the orchestra as Alexander Ekman challenges the audience to reflect on the way in which art is perceived. It resulted in a new arrangement of Schubert’s Der Tod und das Mädchen.
Under the artistic directorship of British-born Paul Lightfoot, Nederlands Dans Theater is headquartered at the Lucent Danstheater in The Hague. Since its foundation in 1959, this pioneering company has built a rich repertoire of more than 600 ballets.
In 1978, NDT founded NDT2, its junior division. Specifically focussing on talent development for dancers aged 18 - 23, it prepares 16 classically trained dancers from around the world every three years. Working with young and more established choreographers, the dancers perfect a range of styles and genres.
Tickets: 023 8071 1811 or visit mayflower.org.uk
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