Nederlands Dans Theater

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Nomaden NDT 1982. Choreography by Jiří Kylián
Nomaden NDT 1982. Choreography by Jiří Kylián

Nederlands Dans Theater (Dutch Dance Theatre also known as NDT) is a contemporary dance company established in 1959 breaking away from the more traditionally oriented Dutch National Ballet (Het Nederlands Ballet). NDT focused on to new ideas and experimentation with the exploration of new forms and techniques of dance.

Contents

[edit] Founders

NDT was founded by Benjamin Harkarvy, Aart Verstegen and Carel Birnie together with a group of 18 members of the Dutch National Ballet (which was directed by Sonia Gaskell.

Many of the founding dancers of the NDT have made their mark on Dutch ballet and dance:

  • Charles Czarny, Martinette Janmaat and Mabel Alter became well known ballet teachers at the conservatoires and dance academies in Rotterdam and Amsterdam
  • Martinette Janmaat was artistic director for the Contemporary dance department at the Nationale Ballet Academy in Amsterdam.

This first group of dancers also included:

  • Willy de la Bije
  • Aart Verstegen
  • Jaap Flier
  • Pepita Goedemans
  • Mabel Alter
  • Hannie van Leeuwen
  • Annemarie Verhoeven
  • Alexandra Radius
  • Olga Dzialiner
  • Marianne Westerdijk
  • Hans van Manen
  • Rudi van Dantzig
  • Hans vd Togt
  • Han Ebbelaar

[edit] Artistic directors

  • Benjamin Harkarvy (1959-1969) as choreographer and artistic co-director (with Hans van Manen). He went on to be the co-director of the Dutch National Ballet and from 1992 he became the director of the Dance Division of The Juilliard School in New York.
  • Jiří Kylián (1975-2004) was appointed as artistic director, and over nearly twenty years, brought unprecedented recognition and success to NDT.
  • Anders Hellström (2004 to present) trained at the Royal Swedish Ballet School and danced with the Royal Swedish Ballet and the Hamburg Ballet. He also danced with William Forsythe's Ballett Frankfurt from 1993-1999 before taking over as Artistic Director of Sweden's Goteburg Ballet.

[edit] Resident choreographers

Paul Lightfoot and Sol León (referred to as Lightfoot León).

[edit] Three companies

[edit] NDT I

NDT I is the main company with 32 dancers, founded in 1959.

[edit] NDT II

NDT II, founded in 1978, is a group of 12 young dancers between the ages of 17 and 22. The company has its own repertory, which includes works by Jiří Kylián, Ohad Naharin, Hans van Manen, Johan Inger, Mehdi Walerski, Alexander Ekman, and Lightfoot León.

[edit] NDT III

NDT III was a small group of dancers of 40+ years (NDT3 was closed in 2006 due to financial problems at NDT. They hope to start the company up again someday.)

[edit] Repertoire

Besides works of Jiri Kylián and Lightfoot León the NDT performs works choreographed by Jacopo Godani, Ohad Naharin, Mats Ek and William Forsythe.

[edit] External links


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