Nederlands Dans Theater US Tour

Nederlands Dans Theater I. Photo: Joris-Jan Bos

Friday, March 18, 2011 at t.b.a.

Berkeley Zellerbach Auditorium - Berkeley, CA

For tickets

Saturday, March 19, 2011 at t.b.a.

Berkeley Zellerbach Auditorium - Berkeley, CA

For tickets

Wednesday, March 23, 2011 at 7:30 PM
LA Music Center - Los Angeles, CA

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Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 7:30 PM

LA Music Center - Los Angeles, CA

For tickets

Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at t.b.a.

The University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, NC

For tickets

Wednesday, March 30, 2011at t.b.a.

The University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, NC

For tickets

For a special to the Los Angeles Times by Victoria Looseleaf (March 20, 2011)

Never before did Paul Lightfoot and Sol León make a piece this long, 45 minutes, and hardly ever was the result so compelling and well-balanced. “Silent Screen” is set to the abstract and yet emotional music of Philip Glass (“Glassworks” and the soundtrack of “The Hours”). The piece is made for Nederlands Dans Theater I and it begins with a fascinating duet against the background of a solitary man vanishing into the sea. When the dancers disengage themselves from the images, they display harmony and happiness. Then the sea transforms into a forest and the atmosphere changes. Despite its high degree of technicality, the ballet refers to great themes of life and has a profound emotional overtone.  

The other piece that will be performed is Jiří Kylián's ''Whereabouts Unknown''. Kylián: "There is a line in my work, which always traces back to the 'whereabouts' of our existence. The dances of the Australian Aborigines or rhythms, rituals, masks of African people - the point of his interest is the same: It is the traces old civilisations have left. Artifacts, materials, traditions speak by themselves, show the way back into a living past. The attempt is to journey into their world to discover our world  - by trying to read the controversial messages of the conscious and unconscious, the visible and hidden, to uncover those above and those under the ground."

Nederlands Danstheater's (NDT) dancers display virtuosity and unparalleled expression while performing a challenging repertoire; the company performs much-praised works by former house choreographer Jiří Kylián and the present house choreographers Paul Lightfoot and Sol León, as well as new creations by established choreographers and upcoming talent from inside and outside the company.

NDT 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 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 Kylián and Hans van Manen, as well as from resident choreographers Sol León and Paul Lightfoot, associate choreographers Crystal Pite and Johan Inger and many other guest choreographers like Ohad Naharin, Nacho Duato and William Forsythe. Under the direction of artistic director Jim Vincent, Nederlands Dans Theater attracts full houses world-wide.