Nederland Dance Theater NDT2
I remember when, soon after taking being appointed as CEO of Norwich Theatre, Stephen Crocker made a pledge to continue to bring more world class contemporary dance to Norwich. He has delivered on that promise ........
I remember when, soon after taking being appointed as CEO of Norwich Theatre, Stephen Crocker made a pledge to continue to bring more world class contemporary dance to Norwich. He delivered on that promise with appearances from the Acosta Dance, Matthew Bourne's New Adventures, and of course, Ballet Rambert (and its second ensemble Rambert2). Last night we finally had the chance to welcome, direct from Sadlers Wells and the first stop on their tour of just seven UK and Irish provincial theatres, Nederland Dance Theater's NDT2 to Norwich Theatre Royal.
Comprising of 19 classically trained young dancers who each spend just three years with the company, developing their skills and learning new techniques and working methods, NDT2 has attracted renowned choreographers to create works especially for these emerging young stars. For this tour the programme included two brand new pieces, as well as a performance of Hans van Manen's 'Simple Things', written for and first performed by NDT2 in 2001.
First up is 'The Big Crying', a piece that begins with a fiery flame and thunderous soundtrack, and mechanical, almost industrial, movements from the dancers. It develops into a fluid, more reflective piece that demonstrates the strength, agility and precision of this young troupe, with dancers wearing black tops designed to be reminiscent of the curtains of a hearse, and performing to songs by Tori Amos. The piece is clearly an exploration of the grieving process and, towards its finale, it develops into a tribal, almost animalistic, piece with primal screaming and movements perhaps alien to Euroean mourning etiquette, before closing to the strains of 'Losing My Religion'. It was a hypnotic and spellbinding start to the evening's programme.
Picture Rahi Rezvani
After the first interval, 'Simple Things' gave us a chance to see just why Hans van Manen has become known as the 'Godfather of Dutch Dance'. It is a quartet of classical proportions, with the grace and control of the four dancers being translated into smooth, athletic, and perfectly executed turns and jumps as they weave their path through several exchanges of partner. Lithe bodies are stretched and contorted with the grace and elegance that perfectly defines this company of young, athletic performers.
Picture Joris-Jan Bos
The final piece is another debut, 'Impasse', an exhillerating piece by Johan Inger that begins with a trio emerging from a large barn-like structure, which is later supplanted by two smaller versions of the same building as more and more dancers arrive and consume the action. First to arrive are a troupe of black-clad latin dancers who appropriate and entice the trio's carefree spirit by imposing their own strictly choreographed Latin-style movements. Only when a group of six wildly dressed characters join the stage does a fresh, fiesta atmosphere kick in, and the freedoms of self-expression are allowed to triumph over strict control and peer pressure. As the curtain falls, the party continues, and dancers tumble forward, only to be dragged back into the carnival crowd. 'Impasse' is both comedic and energetic, yet manages to convey a strong sense of individual expression and collective freedom with its stunning finale.
Picture Joris-Jan Bos
For those who still were not ready to head off home, there was a twenty minute Q&A session, hosted by Stephen Crocker and featuring two dancers from the company – Cassandra Martin, who has been with NDT2 since 2019, and Samuel van der Veer, who began his apprenticeship with NDT2 in the 2020-21 seaon. Amidst the questions about how the dancers spend a typical day, how they release the pent-up energies after a performance, and how they look after themselves whilst on tour, came an interesting fact. During the COVID lockdown, dancers in the Nederlands were treated as essential workers, meaning that rehearsals and dance classes were allowed to continue as normal. Not only did this help the dancers, but it massively helped protect the entire dance industry. A lesson to be learnt here for the future, perhaps?
