49-621: Nederlands Dans Theater ( NDT ; literal translation Netherlands Dance Theatre ) is a Dutch contemporary dance company . NDT is headquartered at the Amare building in The Hague . NDT also performs at other venues in the Netherlands, including Amsterdam 's Het Muziektheater and Nijmegen 's Stadsschouwburg. NDT comprises three dance companies: Nederland Dans Theater I, Nederland Dans Theater II, and Nederland Dans Theater III. Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT)
98-469: A contemporary dance piece calling attention to the issues surrounding our ever-increasing dependence on technology. Ohad Naharin 2010 dance magazine award Ohad Naharin (born 1952) ( Hebrew : אוהד נהרין) is an Israeli choreographer, contemporary dancer , and creator and teacher of a unique system/language/pedagogy of dance called Gaga . He served as artistic director of Batsheva Dance Company from 1990; he stepped down in 2018. Ohad Naharin
147-545: A dance technique called Taylor technique, which is now taught at modern dance schools like The Ailey School in New York City. Additionally, choreographers like William Forsythe developed techniques that deconstructed classical dance vocabulary and expanded both the technical and conceptual possibilities of contemporary dance. According to the International Encyclopedia of Dance, William Forsythe has established
196-604: A daughter. Naharin is currently the House Choreographer of Batsheva Dance Company . He served as Artistic Director as well until 2018. In 1990, Naharin was appointed Artistic Director, there by launching the company into a new stage. The company is international in nature, made up of individually unique dancers from Israel and other countries. Dancers are encouraged to affirm their distinct creative gifts, as creators on their own. Naharin's signature style and technique has developed during his time with Batsheva. His style
245-414: A documentary about Naharin called Mr. Gaga by Tomer Heymann premiered. This documentary's title is a reference to the movement language created by Naharin, Gaga. The documentary explores how Naharin and his movement style have influenced Batsheva Dance Company and the modern dance world. Gaga movement stems from Naharin's belief that "physical pleasure from physical activity is part of being alive," and
294-578: A framework for his conceptual ballets which do not conform to a fixed style but instead integrate elements from various trends in contemporary art and thought. His productions utilize language, song, film, video, sculpture, and electronic sounds, as well as amplified noises generated by the dancers. His choreography incorporates academic dance terminology that imparts a classical quality to all of his works, even his most experimental pieces. William Forsythe has cited Rudolf Laban and his Space Harmony movement as an artistic influence, although his ballet technique
343-404: A lot with guest choreographers. For example: Hans van Manen, Johan Inger, Crystal Pite , Lukáš Timulak, Cayetano Soto, Marco Goecke , Medhi Walerski, Ohad Naharin, Tero Saarinen, Wayne McGregor and William Forsythe . Nederland Dans Theater I (30 dancers) was founded in 1959. The dancers all have solo qualities and are not divided into categories. Besides works of Jiří Kylián and Lightfoot León
392-404: A movement 'technique'. Classes consist of a teacher leading dancers through an improvisational practice based on a series of images described by the teacher. Naharin explains that such a practice is meant to provide a framework or a "safety net" for the dancers to use to "move beyond familiar limits". The descriptions that are used to guide the dancers through the improvisation are intended to help
441-426: A new kind of virtuosity. Explosive and fast, Naharin's dancers move as if their bodies are possessed of an inner strength, yet governed too by external forces about to tear apart the body. There is a bodily reaching beyond one's boundaries, a different borderlessness that involves dancers pushing the limits of the familiar and safe: a dancer's high lifted leg turns more than I80 degrees, another jumps sideways and down in
490-479: A ripple occurs from stage right to stage left in which each dancer arches their back with splayed arms and bent legs, only to slowly be seated again. The final member of the semicircle, however, does not re-seat himself; instead, he falls to the ground. As he lays there, the rest of the dancers stand up from their chairs and powerfully deliver the lines of the chorus: “ Echad mi yodea? Echad ani yodea. Echad Elokeinu, shebashamaim uva’aretz ” (Who knows one? I know one. One
539-522: A risky dive, a backward arch turns into a leap. It happens in the body and in the mind alike, and it happens to the individual, the one who takes responsibility for his breathtaking trespassing". Other pieces he has choreographed include Three , Tabula Rasa , Mabul , Pas de Pepsi , Haru No Umi , In Common , Sixty a Minute , Black Milk , Innostress , Mamootot , moshe , yag , sabotage baby , perpetuum , Passo Mezzo , Kamuiot , plastelina , Naharin's Virus , Hora , Sadeh21 , The Hole . In 2015,
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#1732851258009588-419: A semicircle around the stage and dancers wear identical black suits. The movement is set to the traditional Passover song of the same name which "enumerates the thirteen attributes of God". It is a counting Hebrew song, meaning each verse builds upon the previous one. Naharin uses the cumulative nature of the song and matches it with his own type of repetition, specifically with the chorus. Prior to each chorus,
637-408: A work for 22 dancers and two musicians, combines elements of theater, opera, film and rock music as well as dance. According to Naharin, it "deals with small sculptures in a big space" and explores the abilities of the human body. Shorter and less complex than Ohad Naharin's other pieces, Echad mi Yodea finds power in its simple staging and wild, almost uncontrolled, movement. Chairs are arranged in
686-562: Is "distinguished by stunningly flexible limbs and spines, deeply grounded movement, explosive bursts and a vitality that grabs a viewer by the collar." His dancers do not rehearse in front of a mirror as this enables them to move away from self-critique and allows them to feel the movement from within. Naharin is known to be a reserved and private person, and this is apparent in the studio as well. He does not get angry or raise his voice, but comments constructively and calmly. Since he has also been musically trained, Naharin sometimes collaborates on
735-404: Is God, our God of the heavens and of earth). He then returns to his seat as the entire stage settles for a brief moment of tranquility. This action repeats itself thirteen times. It eventually becomes too much, and the dancers – excluding the stage left performer – forcefully shed and throw off their clothing piece by piece until they are standing in front of their chairs in just their undergarments,
784-558: Is in large part determined by the observer themselves." Cunningham formed the Merce Cunningham Dance Company in 1953 and went on to create more than one hundred and fifty works for the company, many of which have been performed internationally by ballet and modern dance companies . Additionally, the emergence of Tanztheater , German for “dance theater,” pushed contemporary dance beyond traditional performance boundaries. This genre incorporated everyday movements and blurred
833-600: Is often perceived to be closely related to modern dance, ballet, and other classical concert dance styles. It is characterized by a blend of styles that often integrate elements of ballet, modern dance, and cultural or social dance forms. In terms of the focus of its technique, contemporary dance tends to combine the strong but controlled legwork of ballet with modern that stresses on torso. It also employs contract-release, floor work , fall and recovery, and improvisation characteristics of modern dance. Unpredictable changes in rhythm, speed, and direction are often used, as well. In
882-465: Is performed. By initiative of Jiří Kylián a new group was set up in 1991, especially for dancers of 40 years and older. This group became legendary in the dance world. But because there was not enough structural subsidy to keep up the activities of Nederlands Dans Theater III as a permanent part of the company, the management and Board of Nederlands Dans Theater decided in 2006 to discontinue Nederlands Dans Theater III in its current form. Plans to continue
931-542: Is significantly shaped by George Balanchine . Through the combination of these influences, William Forsythe has developed a technique of dance characterized by its fragmented nature, which further expounds the subtle differences and interconnectedness of modern, postmodern, and contemporary dance. Reflecting the situation in society at large, contemporary dance is increasingly incorporating overtly technological elements, and, in particular, robots. Robotics engineer/dancer Amy LaViers, for example, has incorporated cell phones in
980-445: Is that everyone should dance. Deca Dance highlights many excerpts from his previous works. Naharin says himself, " Deca Dance is not a new work. It is more about reconstruction: I like to take pieces or sections of existing works and rework it, reorganize it and create the possibility to look at it from a new angle. It always teaches me something new about my work and composition. In Deca Dance I took sections from different works. It
1029-515: Is universal yet personal. He always has a clear social and political conscience in his works, but his dances are not meant to be political. He finds storytelling of suffering and the world's problems boring in comparison to a person's ability to use texture and multi-layered movement. He contrasts physical explosiveness with stillness, taking an interest in contrasts, edges, and extremes, which creates vital distance and space in dances. His philosophy, shared with many who devote their lives to choreography,
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#17328512580091078-435: Is usually a choreographer who makes the creative decisions and decides whether the piece is an abstract or a narrative one. Dancers are selected based on their skill and training. The choreography is determined based on its relation to the music or sounds that is danced to. The role of music in contemporary dance is different from in other genres because it can serve as a backdrop to the piece. The choreographer has control over
1127-646: The Batsheva Dance Company , Martha Graham visited Israel and invited Naharin to join her dance company in New York. After dancing for Martha Graham, he attended Juilliard and the School of American Ballet . In 1978, he married Mari Kajiwara, a native New Yorker and an Alvin Ailey dancer. In 2001, she died of cancer at age 50. He is now married to Eri Nakamura, a Batsheva dancer and costume designer with whom he has
1176-501: The Residentie Orkest . Many of the founding NDT dancers have made their mark on Dutch ballet and dance: The first group of dancers also included: Glenn Edgerton joined HSDC after an international career as a dancer and director. He began his dancing career at The Joffrey Ballet where, mentored by Robert Joffrey, he performed leading roles in the company's contemporary and classical repertoire for 11 years. In 1989, Edgerton joined
1225-469: The "linguistic turn," which treated dance as a form of text and choreography as a structured linguistic system, to the subsequent "performative turn" which critiques representational practices and introduces new themes central to contemporary choreography. These themes include liveness, immediacy, authenticity, identity, and the interplay between presence and absence. As a result, contemporary dance works have become platforms for exploring complex themes, such as
1274-493: The 1980s, the approach to contemporary dance became more intentional and academically focused, often described as “interdisciplinary” and “collaborative.” This period marked a shift from spontaneous and experimental methods to choreographies grounded in intellectual concepts, such as mathematical structures and repetitive patterns. Contemporary dance sometimes incorporates elements of non-western dance cultures, such as elements from African dance including bent knees, or movements from
1323-589: The Frankfurt Ballet, Opéra National de Paris , Grand Théâtre de Genève , Sydney Dance Company , Lyon Opera Ballet , Les Grands Ballets Canadiens , Rambert Dance Company , Compañia Nacional de Danza , Cullberg Ballet , Finnish National Ballet , Ballet Gulbenkian [ pt ] , Balé da Cidade de São Paulo [ br ] , Bavarian State Ballet , Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet , Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre , Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Royal Danish Ballet . He seeks to create movement that
1372-599: The Japanese contemporary dance, Butoh . Contemporary dance continues to explore natural movement while embracing diverse influences and unconventional staging. Additionally, contemporary dance also examines the concepts of choreography and dramaturgy. The distinction between composition and improvisation, as well as between finished works and ongoing processes, is collapsed in the style of contemporary dance. This dissolution between previously rigid distinctions parallels broader cultural shifts from what scholar Gabrielle Klein calls
1421-559: The Nederlands Dans Theater got subsidy from the city of The Hague and from the government. In the 1960s the NDTs repertoire comprised classical dance with a strong influence by American modern dance. The NDT got unprecedented recognition and success with the guidance of different persons like Hans van Manen and Jiří Kylián as artistic directors. In the first years of the 1970s there was no clear policy because of various conflicts within
1470-538: The Nijinsky Awards. The choreographers (Hans van Manen, Jiří Kylián) and the NDT I have won awards on the prestigious Edinburgh International Festival. Contemporary dance Contemporary dance is a genre of dance performance that developed during the mid-twentieth century and has since grown to become one of the dominant genres for formally trained dancers throughout the world, with particularly strong popularity in
1519-519: The Order of Orange Nassau by Queen Beatrix. In the Netherlands itself, the Nederlands Dans Theater has received the VSCD award (Vereniging van Schouwburgen en ConcertgebouwDirecties) twelve times. The Zwaan awards for "most impressive dance production 2009" and for "most impressive dance performance 2009" have been handed to the Nederlands Dans Theater. In foreign countries the NDT has also won several awards, including
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1568-473: The U.S. and Europe. Although originally informed by and borrowing from classical , modern , and jazz styles, it has come to incorporate elements from many styles of dance. According to the New Grove Musical Dictionary, contemporary dance evolved from the foundations of modern and postmodern dance, emphasizing innovation and a break from traditional forms. Due to its technical similarities, it
1617-489: The acclaimed Nederlands Dans Theater, and after dancing for five years retired from performing to become artistic director of the main company, leading NDT1 for a decade and presenting the works of Jiri Kylian, Hans van Manen, William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, Mats Ek, Nacho Duato, Jorma Elo, Johan Inger, Paul Lightfoot and Sol Leon, among others Jiří Kylián, Paul Lightfoot and Sol León (the two of them also referred to as Lightfoot León ). The Nederlands Dans Theater collaborates
1666-741: The board of the NDT. That changed when in 1975 Jirí Kylian entered the board as artistic leader. The Nederlands Dans Theater had been based in the Lucent Danstheater at the Spui in The Hague from 1987 until its demolition in October 2015. The new Amare building, located roughly at the site of the former Lucent Danstheater, was opened in September 2021 and is home to NDT, the Koninklijk Conservatorium and
1715-464: The compositions used in his pieces. During his time directing and teaching the Batsheva Company, Naharin developed Gaga , a movement language and pedagogy that has defined the company's training and continues to characterize Israeli contemporary dance. A practice that resists codification and emphasizes the practitioner's somatic experience, Gaga presents itself as a movement language rather than
1764-749: The costumes and their aesthetic value for the overall composition of the performance and also in regards to how they influence dancers’ movements. Post-structuralist thought has significantly influenced contemporary dance. This influence has led to a deeper exploration of the dancer’s primary medium, the body, which sparked the development and integration of innovative movement techniques. Dance techniques and movement philosophies employed in contemporary dance may include Contemporary ballet , Dance improvisation , Interpretive dance , Lyrical dance , Modern dance styles from United States such as Graham technique , Humphrey-Weidman technique and Horton technique, Modern dance of Europe Bartenieff Fundamentals and
1813-730: The dance technique of Isadora Duncan (also see Free dance ). Contemporary dancers train using contemporary dance techniques as well as non-dance related practices such as Pilates , Yoga , the acting practice of Corporeal mime - Étienne Decroux technique and somatic practices such as Alexander technique , Feldenkrais Method , Sullivan Technique and Franklin-Methode , American contemporary techniques such as José Limón technique and Hawkins technique and Postmodern dance techniques such as Contact improvisation and Cunningham technique, and Release technique . Some well-known choreographers and creators of contemporary dance created schools and techniques of their own. Paul Taylor developed
1862-403: The dancer initiate and express movement in unique ways from parts of the body that tend to be ignored in other dance settings. One example is the image of "Luna", which refers to the fleshy, moon-shaped regions between fingers and toes. In keeping with Gaga's insistence on moving through sensing and imagining, mirrors are discouraged in rehearsal spaces. Naharin's works have been commissioned by
1911-595: The distinction between art and daily life. Tanztheater steered contemporary dance away from linear narratives toward fragmented and montage-like choreography, giving rise to a style marked by disjointed "dance pieces" rather than narrative styles. Cunningham's key ideas include- Other pioneers of contemporary dance (the offspring of modern and postmodern) include Ruth St. Denis , Doris Humphrey , Mary Wigman , Pina Bausch , Francois Delsarte , Émile Jaques-Dalcroze , Paul Taylor , Rudolph von Laban , Loie Fuller , José Limón , Marie Rambert , and Trisha Brown . There
1960-471: The group and realize new projects are being investigated. Besides works of Jiří Kylián and Lightfoot León the NDT performs works choreographed by Jacopo Godani , Ohad Naharin , Mats Ek , William Forsythe , and Crystal Pite . Both NDT I and II tour in the Netherlands and abroad with various shows. The Nederlands Dans Theater, the choreographers, the dancers and the groups have won several awards. Both Hans van Manen and Jiří Kylián are crowned as Officers in
2009-402: The ideas that were established by it. In 1944 Cunningham accompanied his dance with music by John Cage , who observed that Cunningham's dance "no longer relies on linear elements (...) nor does it rely on a movement towards and away from climax. As in abstract painting , it is assumed that an element (a movement, a sound , a change of light) is in and of itself expressive; what it communicates
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2058-429: The most spoken about interpretations, however, is that of the liberation of a community. This understanding is related to the "gatkes incident". In 1998, Echad mi Yodea was set to perform at a celebration of Israel's 50th anniversary as a nation-state. Government officials argued with Naharin, urging him to "let the dancers wear gatkes (Yiddish for long underwear) because conservative officials would be in attendance". It
2107-448: The pile of shed clothing thrown astray. As the lights and music fade, the "other" simply returns to his seat still fully clothed, while the other dancers stand proudly and exhausted in their undergarments. Naharin's Echad mi Yodea has a variety of interpretations – the shedding of one's skin, the inescapable bond with one's past, finding beauty in chaos, the singular within a group and the dichotomy between exhaustion and strength. One of
2156-405: The repertoire of Nederland Dans Theater I comprises a large number of works by choreographers such as Nacho Duato , Mats Ek , William Forsythe , Crystal Pite and Ohad Naharin . Nederlands Dans Theater II (16 dancers) was founded in 1978 for dancers between 17 and 22, original name was 'De Springplank'. Alongside ballets by Hans van Manen and Jiří Kylián, much work by young choreographic talent
2205-423: The unrepresentable and intangible aspects of human existence, which are difficult to represent using traditional and classical movement forms. Contemporary dance draws on both classical ballet and modern dance, whereas postmodern dance was a direct and opposite response to modern dance. Merce Cunningham is considered to be the first choreographer to "develop an independent attitude towards modern dance" and defy
2254-537: Was an attempt at censorship, but Naharin refused, instead pulling Batsheva from the performance and allowing for the liberation in Echad mi Yodea to continue. Like the "gatkes incident" demonstrates, even when faced with criticism, Naharin continues to push the boundaries of traditional dance. As Gaby Aldor, a dance critic specializing in Israeli dance, writes: "Naharin's movement is rough, lacking in balletic elegance yet inventing
2303-515: Was born in 1952 in Kibbutz Mizra . Raised in an artistic home, he wrote stories, composed music, and painted as a child. His father was a psychologist specializing in psychodrama and an actor who performed with Habima and the Haifa Theater. His mother was a Feldenkrais instructor, choreographer and dancer. Nevertheless, Naharin did not start dancing until age 22. During his first year with
2352-534: Was founded in 1959 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 ). Their intention was to break away from the more traditionally oriented Dutch National Ballet (Het Nederlands Ballet). NDT focused onto new ideas and experimentation with the exploration of new forms and techniques of dance. In 1961
2401-452: Was like I was telling only either the beginning, middle or ending of many stories but when I organized it the result become as coherent as the original if not more." In Max , "Mr. Naharin’s theatrical ingredients are space, movement and light." A critic comments, "In this tremendously potent work, there are few obvious displays of emotion, yet Max is full of imagery that slips between real life and dance in fleeting flashes." Anaphase ,
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