Nederlands Dans Theater returns to Montreal in force, after a twenty year absence, with a much anticipated show featuring its world renowned exceptional dancers. Artistic Director Paul Lightfoot in choreographic partnership with his long time accomplice and artistic advisor Sol León display their rich signature style developed in Sehnsucht and Stop Motion. Aesthetically very different, these two works deploy sophisticated choreography in an efficient, minimalist set design: an open cube suspended in mid-air for the first piece, and video projections on large screens for the second, with the lighting transforming the space as much as in In the Event by Crystal Pite. With its shadow play, slow motion movement, syncopated gestures and arrested motions, she offers here one of her most touching works. A dance of great beauty, rich in nuance and virtuosity. An event.
Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) is one of the world’s leading contemporary dance companies. Since its founding in 1959, this rebellious company has built a rich repertoire of 600 works by master choreographers such as Jiří Kylián, Hans van Manen, NDT’s house choreographers Sol León and Paul Lightfoot and associate choreographers Crystal Pite and Marco Goecke. The dancers of NDT are renowned for their versatility, astonishing technique and virtuosic expression. At NDT’s home base, all this comes together daily in surroundings that are regarded as a unique worldwide breeding ground, constantly moving ahead to let the future of dance take shape.
“The dancers of Nederlands Dans Theater showed just how wonderfully exhilarating contemporary dance can be.” − The Daily Telegraph, Sydney
The dazzling Nederlands Dans Theater is back in Montreal with a beautiful dance piece that highlights the virtuosity and versatility of its dancers. The program consists of two works by the European choreographers Paul Lightfoot and Sol León, plus a surprising piece by Crystal Pite. A major event.
Photo © Rahi Rezvani
In their 30 years as a choreographic duo Sol León and Paul Lightfoot have built a rich repertoire of over fifty works which show a wide range of compelling pieces that, however diverse, share a strong, innovative artistic voice. They have mastered a powerful, yet tender and sometimes humorous dance aesthetic that is consistently rooted in emotion and often leans on theatrical aspects. As house choreographers of NDT since 2...
Read more about Sol León
Photo © Rahi Rezvani
In their 26 years as a choreographic duo Sol León and Paul Lightfoot have built a rich repertoire of over fifty works which show a wide range of compelling pieces that, however diverse, share a strong, innovative artistic voice. They have mastered a powerful, yet tender and sometimes humorous dance aesthetic that is consistently rooted in emotion and often leans on theatrical aspects. As house choreographers of NDT since 2...
Read more about Paul Lightfoot
Photo © Michael Slobodian.
In a choreographic career spanning three decades, Crystal Pite has created more than 50 works for dance companies in Canada and around the world. She is the founding artistic director of the Vancouver-based company Kidd Pivot, world-renowned for radical hybrids of dance and theatre that are assembled with a keen sense of wit and invention. Ms. Pite is known for works that courageously address such challenging and complex th...
Read more about Crystal PiteNederlands Dans Theater (NDT) is one of the world's leading contemporary dance companies. The group, led by Artistic Director Emily Molnar since the 2020-2021 season, is based in The Hague, but also performs for international audiences across Europe, America, Asia, and Australia. Since its founding in 1959 by Benjamin Harkarvy, Aart Verstegen and Carel Birnie, in collaboration with eighteen dancers from the Dutch National B...
Read more about Nederlands Dans TheaterSehnsucht
Music Ludwig van Beethoven Pianoconcerto Nr. 3 in C-minor, Opus 37: Movement II: Largo. Symphony Nr. 5 in C-minor, Opus 67: Movement III: Allegro and Movement IV: Allegro-Presto. Pianoconcerto Nr. 4 in G-major. Opus 58: Movement II: Andante con Moto. Recording by Berliner Philharmoniker conducted by Herbert von Karajan (Symphony Nr. 5) and conducted by Claudio Abbado (Pianoconcertos Nr. 3 & 4); pianist Maurizio Pollini. Lighting Tom Bevoort. Costumes and decor Sol León, Paul Lightfoot.
World premiere 7 May 2009, Lucent Danstheater, The Hague. World premiere extended version 25 November 2010, Lucent Danstheater, The Hague.
In the Event
Music Owen Belton – new composition; piano recording Jan Schouten. Decor Jay Gower Taylor. Costumes Crystal Pite, Joke Visser.
World premiere 16 April 2015, Lucent Danstheater The Hague.
Stop-Motion
Music Max Richter Ocean House Mirror, Powder Pills Truth, He is here, Everything is burning, November, Monologue, A lover’s complaint, On the Shore, End title, Sorrow Atoms, How to die in Oregon. Lighting Tom Bevoort. Decor Sol León, Paul Lightfoot. Costumes Joke Visser, Hermien Hollander. Video Sol León, Paul Lightfoot (concept), Rahi Rezvani (camera and direction), Dicky Schuttel (camera), Dicky Schuttel, Harmen Straatman (editing).
World premiere 29 January 2014, Lucent Danstheater, Den Haag.
