Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – NDT2 ravishes at City Center with their iconic technique and aesthetic

• By drediman
• January 17, 2019
• No Comments

Nederlands Dans Theater performs “Sad Case”. The company’s second division NDT2 launches its US tour at New York City Center.

No matter how hard other dance companies attempt to emulate Nederlands Dans Theater, no one quite moves like the renowned contemporary dance company. I first saw them perform way back in 2005 at the Gran Teatre del Liceu whilst I was vacationing in Barcelona (they performed “One of a Kind”, an evening-length work by one of its go-to choreographers, the prolific Jiri Kylian), and I was instantly hooked by their highly disciplined, impossibly fluid, and precisely expressive aesthetic. Suffice to say, the experience left an indelible mark on me.

Last night, I attended the opening night performance of Nederlands Dans Theater 2 – the second division of the troupe – at New York City Center, where it is launching its US tour. Although this second company is comprised of younger dancers than its primary counterpart, I would argue that they’re no less skilled nor compelling. Far from it, the crop of dancers currently in town are some of the most audacious, technically exquisite contemporary dancers I’ve seen in recent memory (and they’re just plain gorgeous to look at, to boot). They command time and space ever so effortlessly, and it’s simply ravishing to behold.

As for the dances, they were sublime, a great combination and array of tones and styles (at times, a certain sameness permeates NDT). The program got off to an ideal star with Edward Clug’s understated but eloquent “mutual comfort” (2015) and continued with Sol León and Paul Lightfoot’s quirky “Sad Case” (1998), which exuded a certain old school cinematic grandeur. After a first intermission, the evening progressed with Marco Goecke’s “Wir sagen uns Dunkles” (2017), a thrilling shift to a more contemporary mood (perhaps my favorite piece of the evening). The night concluded strongly after a second intermission with “SH-BOOM!” (1994) – also choreographed by León and Lightfoot – a playful meditation on contrast and time itself.

Last night, NDT2 epitomized poetry in motion. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to experience this iconic dance company.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

NEDERLANDS DANS THEATER
Dance
New York City Center
2 hours, 15 minutes (with two intermissions)
Through January 19