State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne
July 13 2011

By Rain Francis

Fourteen years after their last visit, the incomparable Nederlands Dans Theater came back to Australia, for an exclusive season in Melbourne. With a diverse triple bill, this was easily the most fulfilling dance experience I’ve had, and am likely to have, in a long time.

The programme opened with Double You, performed with breath-taking precision by Bastien Zorzetto. Choreorgraphed by Jiri Kylian, it embodies the style which the Czech master made synonymous with Nederlands Dans Theater, and with his own name. It explores themes of self-doubt, both psychological and physical, and of dealing with the passage of time. Upstage, two giant pendulums swing quietly, their size suggesting domination, their gradually waning energy reflecting the cycle of life. 

The second work was The Second Person by Associate Choreographer, Canadian Crystal Pite. An ensemble piece for 22 dancers, it provides a wonderful contrast to Kylian’s opening solo. Pite has created a highly theatrical yet powerfully human world using a voiceover, a stormy backdrop, an eclectic soundscape, rat-race costumes and – in the words of Artistic Director Jim Vincent –  ‘miniature humans’. Immediately we are drawn in, and immediately we know that this is a piece about us; that although we are unique, we are part of collective. While various solos and duets bubble out of the mass of grey suits, the mass itself develops and envelops like a storm cloud. The closing imagery, where the individuals finally unite and harness a collective intuition, flowing in harmony, is one what will stay with me.

Closing the evening was Lightfoot Leon’s Silent Screen, inspired by silent movies. I can comfortably describe this one as an epic saga – a thoroughly engaging one at that. It is a journey through a lifetime, through the course of a relationship, and through time itself. It is bookended by a beautifully made, primarily black and white film, in which the dancers seem to be characters. Paul Lightfoot’s and Sol Leon’s daughter features both in the film and, by representation, in the choreography. Lightfoot said, ‘Saura was six then and we both felt like her state of innocence was changing, her consciousness, and that’s what we wanted to explore in the piece – changes of states of being, growing older with someone’.

Silent Screen is set mostly to Phillip Glass’, Glassworks; a perfect choice, with its constantly forward-driving rhythms and a hypnotic melody which seems to embed itself in the listener’s consciousness. In a particularly memorable moment, a man and a woman emerge from the orchestra pit and move upstage. As they travel, the woman’s dress trails behind her, covering the entire stage, until suddenly, the featherweight silk is billowing, brought to life by some hidden wind.

The three works in this programme were linked by anthropological themes, giving the evening a sense of cohesiveness. As Vincent said, ‘This is a pretty clear and somewhat perfect cross-section of the company today. It maintains the history, respects the tradition but it also looks to the future of the company’. Performances from all dancers were, not surprisingly, flawless – these truly are some of the best dancers in the world. Let’s hope this magnificent company return to Australia soon. 

Photo by David Wyatt

Melbourne audiences are in for a treat! The Arts Centre has scored an exclusive Australian season of contemporary dance featuring the legendary Nederlands Dans Theater I. After a 14 year absence, the doyennes of contemporary dance will showcase their distinctive style at the Arts Centre’s State Theatre with five performances from 13 – 17 July 2011.

Since its inception half a century ago, Nederlands Dans Theater has gone on to define dance and attract admiration the world over, and is now recognised as arguably the most innovative dance company in existence. The company has created a rich repertoire with works from master choreographers Jiří Kilián and Hans van Manen, as well as from resident choreographers Sol León & Paul Lightfoot and associate choreographers Crystal Pite and Johan Inger.

“It’s a real coup for us to be able to attract this great international company and dance lovers from around Australia will be eager to come to Melbourne for this exciting season”, said Judith Isherwood, Chief Executive of the Arts Centre. “The company has inspired many first-time visits to the theatre for a great display of modern dance and I have no doubt this 2011 season will provide a similar opportunity.”

“It’s an honour to be back in Australia. We look forward to sharing with the Melbourne audiences a programme which reflects the essence of who we are: fortunate to have a rich and creative dance history which provides us with brilliant signature works like Double You by choreographer Jiri Kylián, while at the same time presenting recent creations by an emerging generation of contemporary dance makers such as Sol León and Paul Lighfoot, and Crystal Pite”, said Nederlands Dans Theater Artistic Director Jim Vincent.

“These three uniquely dynamic productions, created by four diverse choreographic voices and performed by our ensemble of extraordinary dancers will make this programme a truly unforgettable experience” he added.

The Melbourne performances by Nederlands Dans Theater I will feature three works. Created by Jirí Kylián, Double You is an intimate solo which offers a window into a man’s soul as he grapples with life’s experiences.

In The Second Person, Canadian choreographer Crystal Pite creates a powerful atmosphere which draws the audience into a different world. Featuring 24 dancers on stage, they represent the exchange between the collective and the individual, searching for their own identities.

Inspired by the art of silent movies, Paul Lightfoot and Sol León explore the beauty of expression without words in Silent Screen. The highly acclaimed performance will feature large screens projecting luscious and fluid scenery for dancers to move through and beyond.

About Nederlands Dans Theater
Nederlands Dans Theater originated in 1959 when 22 people broke free from the Nederlands Ballet. These rebels were impassioned by dance and the desire to give it a style all their own. Under the direction of Carel Birnie and Benjamin Harkarvy, they steadily built a different repertoire to dance companies of modern dance. Fifty years later, Nederlands Dans Theater has become one of the leading dance companies in the world.

A rich repertoire has been built up with works from master choreographers Jiří Kilián and Hans van Manen, as well as from resident choreographers Sol León and Paul Lightfoot, associate choreographers Crystal Pite and Johan Inter and many other guest choreographers such as Ohad Naharin, Nacho Duato and William Forsythe.

Through the years, but particularly in its heyday under former artistic director Jiří Kilián, Nederland Dans Theater has created pioneering works in contemporary dance. Ballets originally made for Nederlands Dans Theater are still performed all over the world. Numerous dancers and choreographers that once started with the company have set up their own dance companies world-wide, spreading Nederlands Dans Theater’s influence far and wide. A number of Australian dancers have worked with Nederlands Dans Theater, including Graeme Murphy, Gideon Obarzanek and Kirsty Martin (The Australian Ballet).

Nederlands Dans Theater has two companies, with two generations of dancers – Nederlands Dans Theater I and Nederlands Dans Theater II. Nederlands Dans Theater I is the first company, founded in 1959 and consists of thirty dancers. They vary in age from 23 to 42 and each one of them excels in their solo qualities. Nederlands Dans Theater II was founded in 1978 for young, upcoming talent with astonishing technique and endless energy. NDT II currently consists of sixteen dancers up to the age of 23. The second company is a revolutionary breeding ground for talented dancers and established choreographers who together create new work.

Get your tickets here!

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The Arts Centre, Melbourne has scored an exclusive Australian season of contemporary dance featuring the legendary Nederlands Dans Theater. After a 14 year absence, the doyennes of contemporary dance will showcase their distinctive style at the Arts Centre’s State Theatre with five performances in July 2011.

Since its inception half a century ago, Nederlands Dans Theater has gone on to define dance and attract admiration the world over, and is now recognised as arguably the most innovative dance company in existence. The company has created a rich repertoire with works from master choreographers Jiří Kilián and Hans van Manen, as well as from resident choreographers Sol León & Paul Lightfoot and associate choreographers Crystal Pite and Johan Inger.

“It’s a real coup for us to be able to attract this great international company and dance lovers from around Australia will be eager to come to Melbourne for this exciting season, “ said Judith Isherwood, Chief Executive of the Arts Centre. “The company has inspired many first-time visits to the theatre for a great display of modern dance and I have no doubt this 2011 season will provide a similar opportunity.”

“It’s an honour to be back in Australia. We look forward to sharing with the Melbourne audiences a programme which reflects the essence of who we are: fortunate to have a rich and creative dance history which provides us with brilliant signature works like Double You by choreographer Jiri Kylián, while at the same time presenting recent creations by an emerging generation of contemporary dance makers such as Sol León & Paul Lighfoot and Crystal Pite,” said Nederlands Dans Theater Artistic Director Jim Vincent.

Nederlands Dans Theater 1
13 – 17 July 2011
the Arts Centre, State Theatre
www.artscentre.com.au

Tickets on sale Monday 8 November at 9am. Phone 1300 182 183.

Photo: Joris-Jan Bos

Article published by http://www.danceinforma.com

Sydney Theatre
January 2010

By Lynne Lancaster.

A riveting thought provoking work, Dark Matters by Canadian choreographer Crystal Pite, blazed into the Sydney Theatre as part of this year’s Sydney Festival.

Vancouver based choreographer and performer Pite has created works for various Canadian and international companies and several independent dance artists, most recently Louise Lecavalier. In 2001 she formed her own company Kidd Pivot Frankfurt RM, which tours nationally and internationally, and she continues to create and perform in her own work. Pite is an Associate Dance Artist of Canada’s National Arts Centre and Associate Choreographer of Nederlands Dance Theatre.

This particular work, Dark Matters, explores how death is amongst us and within us. Yet it is not really bleak or depressing. It struggles to examine life and reaffirm that the cycle of life continues.

Act 1 is more a visual theatre piece than a dance piece. It opens with a man (Peter Chu), in a cluttered room, crouched over a messy table feverishly constructing something. He creates a metre high puppet that becomes the other central character of the work. It is a dark tale, with shades of Frankenstein’s monster, that tells of how this puppet is created, develops its own strong personality, wreaks havoc and eventually kills its creator. We see an extraordinary stylised display of Japanese bunraku with koken.

Photos by Prudence Upton

When first created the puppet leaps and floats in joyous abandon. At times the puppet echoes the movements of its creator and there are marvelous images of it walking up the man’s legs, clinging to its creator’s knees when lonely and scared by a storm. However, the puppet refuses to wear the trousers specially fashioned for it, and becomes rebellious. In this section there is a wonderful Matrix-like martial arts sequence by the puppeteers.

By the end of this act the whole set has collapsed and we see back to the walls and wings with the lighting rig exposed. The music by Owen Belton is at times reminiscent of a movie score. Rob Sondergaard’s lighting is starkly dramatic and includes the use of strobe lighting, spotlights and sidelights. He uses fade ins and fade outs at times that are quite cinematic. 

Act 2 opens with an astonishing solo for the character of Death, danced by Crystal Pite. An inky spider on a bare white background, or loaded calligraphic brushstrokes of movement on a clean page, she moves like rustling black velvet.

On a bare stage, the rest of Act 2 is a series of ensemble work, full of seething masses or bubbling globules of movement, at times frozen in sculptural tableaux, interspersed with solos and pas de deux. The six dancers are in casual, colourful, street clothes. The dancing itself is sensational, full of a sense of weightless fluidity, yet with a taut stretched line and incredible control. At times the choreography mirrors some of the puppetry in Act 1. The two acts are also linked by the repetition of Voltaire’s poem on the Lisbon disaster, telling us we are ‘a temporary blend of blood and dust put together only to dissolve, our being mingles with the infinite’.

At the end, Death (Pite) strips to bra and pants and there is a lyrical, extremely moving pas de deux with her human creation to Sleep by Eric Whitacre. The number ends with him dying in her arms and her determinedly attempting to repair him and bring him back to life.

An extraordinary meditation on the nature of life and creation.  

Running time 2 hours including interval.