T H E D U T C H O N T O U R - Theater Instituut Nederland

action like the brush marks of an artist on the canvas. In the production erva daninha (which is
Portuguese for weeds), Listopad demonstrates the invincible and tenacious power of art which,
like weeds, refuses to be halted or restricted in its development.
Enhancing performance intensity is a subject that intrigues many dance-makers. Club Guy &
Roni’s work is also characterized by powerful, compelling dancing.
Ann Van den Broek developed a movement language that emphasizes the intensity of movement.
Her productions revolve around the psychological processes that drive human motivation
and instincts. Her performance Co(te)lette (2007) is about women’s urge and hunger for physical
and mental satisfaction. An insatiable hunger, emanating from sexual desire or ambition,
discharges from the bodies of the three dancers who shiver and shake with no prospect of relief.
Following on from Bacon, Nanine Linning examined the instincts, urges and emotions of
mankind. In Cry Love, the audience was led to their seats through the scenery, ducking between
dancers hanging up by their feet. The struggle facing mankind was depicted through a haze of
video images projected onto a transparent screen.
In The Autopsy Project, André Gingras uses powerful imagery and movement to show how control
of the human body manifests itself in both science and day-to-day life. An anatomical study
on the dissection table, spectacular leaps from scaffolding and stills of naked bodies randomly
distributed among the scenery as if in the aftermath of a bomb, illustrate his point of view.
But control of the body is most evident in the dynamic, seemingly nonchalant dance scenes
performed with impressive virtuosity.
Dance for young audiences
Alongside all this talent, the Netherlands also boasts a number of companies that create work
specifically for children and the youth. These companies are immensely popular and hardly
able to meet the current demand for youth productions in the Netherlands, as well as in other
countries where a lively interest in Dutch youth dance is emerging.
Introdans Ensemble voor de Jeugd has acquired a unique position in the youth dance sector
by bringing choreography from the traditional Dutch treasure trove to the attention of young
audiences. The company’s repertoire includes modern ballets specially created for children and
young people and choreography originally intended for adults. This season for example, the
Vanmanenmix programme was performed as a tribute to the ‘grand master’ Hans van Manen to
mark his 75th birthday. Artistic director Roel Voorintholt also commissions young dance-makers
to create the choreography for his shows.
Apart from this repertoire company, which also produces shows for adult audiences together
with another ensemble, the Netherlands lays claim to several highly motivated choreographers
who have been creating productions for children and young people for many years. The themes
their productions touch upon are often shaped by combining dance with script, song or live
music.
Meekers Uitgesproken Dans creates dance theatre in which funny, theatrical ideas give rise to unexpected
scenes. Arthur Rosenfeld’s Timboektoe Trios/Timbuktu Trios (8+) is actually an amusing
commentary on human relationships and amazement at the unknown. How do people pass the
time in a spaceship that has already spent centuries trying to bridge light years? How do aliens
from outer space react to finding a confused earthling on their planet? Poedelprijs/Poodle prize
(8+) is about competition, and for the production Murph! (4+), based on Murphy’s law, Rosenfeld
joined forces with the young dance-maker David Middendorp.
Choreographer Wies Bloemen from Danstheater AYA approaches the youth in a very direct
way, using a mixture of dance styles and acting. Honesty and humour are the tools she uses in
her work to address universal themes. She often relies on the personal experiences of the cast.
Pleasure and shame in a multicultural society form the starting point for Bronstsluier/Rutted Veil,
and Hartstocht/Passion (14+) revolves around the choice between life and love.
The productions created by Marco Gerris and his company ISH also tie in well with the world in
which children live. This young theatre-maker draws inspiration from the street and nightclub
scène, as well as from video clips, cartoons, games and films. ISH excites large-scale audiences
with dynamic performances in which skates, street dance, break dance and martial arts are a
guarantee for spectacular scenes. The production Balls was about being brave and following
your dreams. Gerris developed this theme by means of dance and ball-games like football and
basketball.
During the past decades, Dutch dance has been put on the international map by a flock of
headstrong, innovative dance-makers who enjoy exploring (and exceeding) the boundaries.
The boundaries of the human body. The boundaries of the theatre auditorium and the place
of the audience during a performance. The boundaries between dance and theatre, and far
beyond: between their own discipline and other art disciplines, such as music, expressive art
and video. And last but not least, the national boundaries. The Netherlands has become a
place where dance talent from every corner of the world comes together to create exciting
new dance, which can then be taken back to the furthest reaches of the world.
Marcelle Schots
10 The Dutch on tour (Youth) dance
The Dutch on tour (Youth) dance
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