Press Release: Nederlands Dans Theater 1 performs eclectic programme at Sadler's Wells in June

[Jan McNulty]

Nederlands Dans Theater 1
León & Lightfoot / Pite / Goecke
Tuesday 26 - Friday 29 June
Performances: Tuesday - Friday at 7.30pm
Tickets: £12 - £40
Ticket Office: 020 7863 8000 or www.sadlerswells.com

“One of world dance’s truly great companies” Daily Telegraph

Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) is widely considered to be one of the most inventive and original dance companies in Europe. Comprising of two internationally renowned dance troupes, their premier group, NDT1, performs at Sadler’s Wells on Tuesday 26 - Friday 29 June.



Last seen in the UK in 2014, Nederlands Dans Theater 1 is one of the world’s most celebrated dance companies. The company of 28 dancers returns to Sadler’s Wells with a revelatory programme featuring two works by resident choreographers Sol León and Paul Lightfoot, and works by Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Crystal Pite and Marco Goecke. Pite and Goecke are both NDT Associate Choreographers.

In Shoot the Moon, Sol León and Paul Lightfoot offer glimpses of the love life of three different couples. Revolving walls covered in black and white wallpaper create three separate rooms, each containing its own love story. Shoot the Moon is an exploration of hidden emotions, set to a score by Philip Glass.

Also by León and Lightfoot, Stop-Motion sees seven dancers depict a process of farewell and transformation to melancholic music by Max Richter. As ephemeral as the dust, they grace the stage like ghosts or spirits; lighting up and fading out. Stop-Motion aims to address the notions of past and future and how they merge into the present.

The Statement, a piece about a battle for control, is created by Crystal Pite with playwright Jonathon Young, the masterminds behind the Oliver Award-winning Betroffenheit. The piece is based on a script written by Young that is expressed by four dancers who share a heated conversation around a conference table, symbolizing a corporate environment. Control, moral conflicts, responsibility and the inability to escape make the work a piece that offers a wedge of realism.

Marco Goecke takes inspiration from the music of Jeff Buckley in the emotion-driven Woke up Blind. The two female and five male dancers are drawn into an acoustic world in which they excel in contesting with Buckley’s vocal power and his frenetic guitar sounds. Like young lovers, they throw themselves into the unknown regardless of the consequences through highly complex movement. 

NDT is known for combining virtuoso classical technique with intriguing visual sets and themes. Ever since founding in 1959, the company is renowned in the international dance scene and has performed to audiences all over the world including the USA, Brazil and China. The company, celebrating its 60th anniversary next year, boasts a repertoire featuring works from the likes of choreographers Hans van Manen, Mats Ek, Hofeh Shechter and Ohad Naharin. By working with established choreographers the dancers are provided with the opportunity to employ a multitude of styles that often require an interdisciplinary approach by involving visual art, music composition, and innovative light and set designs. In 1978 the company founded NDT2, a second division initially to feed the main company with young talent. It has developed itself into an independent troupe of dancers for which renowned as well as upcoming choreographers come to create work. NDT2 recently performed in London as part of dance taster festival Sadler’s Wells Sampled.

Crystal Pite is a Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist 

NOTES TO EDITORS

ABOUT SADLER’S WELLS
Sadler’s Wells is a world-leading creative organisation dedicated to dance in all its forms. With over three centuries of theatrical heritage and a year-round programme of performances and learning activities, its goal is to motivate everyone to experience dance – to take part, learn, experiment and be inspired. Audiences of over half a million come to Sadler’s Wells’ London theatres each year, with many more enjoying its touring productions at partner venues across the UK and around the world, or accessing its content through digital channels. }
Sadler’s Wells commissions and presents more new dance work than any other theatre in the world, embracing the popular and the unknown. Since 2005, it has helped to bring over 140 new dance works to the stage, many of them involving its 16 Associate Artists, three Resident Companies and four Associate Companies – the most exciting talents working in dance today. It also nurtures the next generation of talent through its artist development initiatives, and reaches over 25,000 annually through its learning and engagement programmes
Located in Islington, north London, the current theatre is the sixth to have stood on the site since it was first built by entrepreneur Richard Sadler in 1683. The venue has played an illustrious role in the history of theatre ever since with The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and English National Opera having all started at Sadler’s Wells. Sadler’s Wells is a charity and a National Portfolio Organisation, currently receiving 10% of its revenue from Arts Council England.

[Vanartus]

I saw a variation of this bill in Berlin - kill to get a ticket!

[Jan McNulty]

I would have done Vanartus but sadly it clashes with performances I am seeing in Birmingham.

 

I love Nederlands Dans Theater!

[alison]

Now there's a novelty: NDT1 performing an eclectic programme.  Whatever next?