Dutch dance moves young audiences all over the world

Alongside all the talent in dance performances for grown-ups, the Netherlands also boasts a number of companies that create work specifically for children and the youth. These companies are immensely popular and hardly able to meet the current demand for youth productions in the Netherlands, as well as in other countries where a lively interest in Dutch youth dance is emerging.

Introdans Ensemble voor de Jeugd has acquired a unique position in the youth dance sector by bringing choreography from the traditional Dutch treasure trove to the attention of young audiences. The company’s repertoire includes modern ballets specially created for children and young people and choreography originally intended for adults. The Vanmanenmix programme was performed as a tribute to the ‘grand master’ Hans van Manen to mark his 75th birthday. Artistic director Roel Voorintholt also commissions young dance-makers to create the choreography for his shows.

Apart from this repertoire company, which also produces shows for adult audiences with another ensemble, the Netherlands lays claim to several highly motivated choreographers who have been creating productions for children and young people for many years. The themes their productions touch upon are often shaped by combining dance with script, song or live music.

Meekers Uitgesproken Dans creates dance theatre in which funny, theatrical ideas give rise to unexpected scenes. Arthur Rosenfeld’s Timboektoe Trios (8+) is actually an amusing commentary on human relationships and amazement at the unknown. How do people pass the time in a spaceship that has already spent centuries trying to bridge light years? How do aliens from outer space react to finding a confused earthling on their planet? Poedelprijs/Poodle prize (8+) is about competition, and for the production Murph (4+), based on Murphy’s law, Rosenfeld joined forces with the young dance-maker David Middendorp.

Choreographer Wies Bloemen from Danstheater Aya approaches the youth in a very direct way, using a mixture of dance styles and acting. Honesty and humour are the tools she uses in her work to address universal themes. She often relies on the personal experiences of the cast. Pleasure and shame in a multicultural society form the starting point for Bronstsluier/Rutted Veil, and Hartstocht/Passion (14+) revolves around the choice between life and love.

The productions created by Marco Gerris and his company ISH also tie in well with the world in which children live. This young theatre-maker draws inspiration from the street and nightclub scène, as well as from video clips, cartoons, games and films. ISH excites large-scale audiences with dynamic performances in which skates, street dance, break dance and martial arts are a guarantee for spectacular scenes. The production Balls was about being brave and following your dreams. Gerris developed this theme by means of dance and ball-games like football and basketball.