“You see people – men and women – looking
at a painting and experiencing different kind of emotions. Separately and
together. Then, suddenly, the unexpected happens. It is too physical to express
in words. Just come and watch.”
In an interview in 1973
the young choreographer Jiří Kylián notified the audience of his first creation
for Nederlands Dans Theater, ‘Viewers’, which premiered on November 26,
1973.[1] The impact of Kylián’s “unexpected” was profound and would inspire
thousands of people to “come and watch” his creations. This second decade
became noted for the artistic visions of Jiří Kylián and the establishment of a
second company for young and talented dancers. To arrive at this point,
however, the company had to overcome some difficult obstacles at the beginning
of the seventies.
After the early success of the sixties the company had grown substantially. The number of dancers had increased from 16 to 27; the company was now performing on major stages in the Netherlands and toured nearly two months a year abroad. The repertoire was still characterised by its early ideas, “with respect for the tradition behind us, a vital interest in the forms and innovations of today and with a concern for developments in the future”.[2] At the beginning of the seventies, however, the group had to reinvent its long-term vision. A number of key-figures believed that the company had become too conventional and lost sight of its original objectives. One after another the artistic staff – Benjamin Harkarvy, Hans van Manen, as well as Glen Tetley – left the company.[3]
A “freewheel situation”
Jaap Flier was appointed in 1970 and focused strongly on research and experimentation, as evidenced by his own multi-disciplinary and beautifully staged piece Hi-Kyo (1971). Some dancers, however, were unsatisfied with this experimental course and believed the classical techniques were slowly being eroded. Dancers such as Alexandra Radius and Han Ebbelaar subsequently left the company before the season of 1972/1973. Carel Birnie, the company’s founder, who was still in the position of general director of the company, would later proclaim this period as a “freewheel situation” which was, perhaps, not ideal but corresponded to the character of the company which he regarded as being like a laboratory: not driven by money but by the incentive to create “new things”.[4]
These “new things” revolved around young and innovative choreographers. Even though old faces returned to create works during the seventies – John Butler, Hans van Manen and Glen Tetley – most choreographers were new to the company.[5] Louis Falco, for instance, who was attracted to create ‘Journaal’ (1971); ‘Eclipse’ (1974); ‘Caterpillar’ (1975) – the latter heralded by the Dutch press as “a masterpiece of exquisite power”.[6] Or the experimental performance artist Peter Dockley, breaking the boundaries between spectator and dance in his ‘Never Never Land’ (1970). Moreover, the company attracted female choreographers, who were often under-represented on the repertoire of dance companies. Jennifer Muller – a former dancer and assistant of Louis Falco – was commissioned to create ‘An American Beauty Rose’ (1974) and the sensational ‘Strangers’ (1975) – NDT’s first full programme revealing the divergent thoughts and daily routines of a married couple. Kei Takei, on the other hand, created one episode of her signature work ‘Light, Part 11’ (1976): an ongoing creation composed of more than 30 parts in which Takei draws on both Western and Japanese dance traditions.
Jiří Kylián
A notable highlight of this period was the introduction of the 26-year-old Czech, Jiří Kylián. Following the success of Viewers he was invited back by NDT to choreograph ‘Stoolgame’ (1974) and ‘La Cathédrale Engloutie’ (1975). From this point onwards, Kylián's career would prove to be unstoppable. In 1975 he would become the company’s artistic director together with Hans Knill, who had been a dancer and ballet master, and would later also become the company’s head of video. Kylián, however, would hold this position on his own by 1978 and would keep it until 1999.[7] During this second half of the 1970’s, however, Kylián encountered some profound difficulties and moments of unease with Carel Birnie. Notwithstanding these struggles, he also experienced an extremely productive period with productions which, as posterity is to judge, can be considered among Kylián ’s early masterpieces: ‘Verklärte Nacht’ (1975); ‘Symphony in D’ (1976); ‘Sinfonietta’ (1978) – Kylián’s definitive breakthrough during the Spoleto Festival in Charleston of 1978 (U.S.A) – and ‘Symphony of Psalms’ (1978).
Kylián’s specific concern for the texture and structure of musical scores was hard to ignore. His pieces were acclaimed for their extraordinary use of music and visualization of the score. According to Clive Barnes, Kylián’s “movements engulf the music and are themselves engulfed” or as Rudolf Nureyev put it, his works revealed “so much beautiful movement and images. The musicality, the movement – that’s what it takes for dance.”[8] The emphasis of his work on symphonies and pieces for large orchestras by, for example, Leoš Janácek, Gustav Mahler, Igor Stravinsky, Arne Nordheim and Toru Takemitsu, furthermore, intensified the collaboration with the Nederlands Balletorkest. This orchestra was founded in 1965 to accompany NDT, as well as the Dutch National Ballet. With approximately 45 musicians, regularly assisted also by a choir, it focused on the synergy between dance and music – an aim it continues to pursue today.
De Springplank: a division for
young dancers
Finally, the end of the seventies witnessed the emergence of a new division for young and talented dancers called ‘De Springplank’ – which had its first premiere on April 28, 1978.[9] This small group of six dancers was guided by Simon Mottram and intended as a two-year education programme to close the gap between Dutch dance schools and the main company.[10] A first step for mainly Dutch students to “discover their full interpretative capabilities, without the pressure of being in an already established professional Company”.[11] Their repertoire initially comprised works from the first company, but also new productions created especially for the group. Over the years this dynamic group would be recognised as a valuable asset in delivering young dancers to companies all over the world. Moreover, it would educate many dancers who would determine the repertoire and face of NDT for many years to come. A repertoire and face, moreover, that was determined during those remarkable seventies by dancers as Arlette van Boven, Roslyn Anderson, Jeanne Solan, Alida Chase, Karen Tims, Sabine Kupferberg, Eve Walstrum, Gerald Tibbs, Rick McCullough, Leigh Warren, Nils Christe, Eric Hampton and Michael Sanders – to name but a few.
[1] Jiří Kylián in ‘Interview met Jiří Kylián (Stuttgart Ballett), die een nieuw ballet maakte voor het Nederlands Dans Theater, dat op 26 november in de Koninklijke Schouwburg in première zal gaan.’ De Sleutel, November 1973.
[2]‘The repertory of the NDT,’ Municipality Archives The Hague, BNR 705 inv. no. 980.
[3] Coos Versteeg, Nederlands Dans Theater. Een revolutionaire geschiedenis (Amsterdam: Balans, 1987), pp. 76-80; ‘Notes on the Seventies,’ NDT Archives, date unknown.
[4] Hans Vogel, ‘Directeur Carel Birnie: Hier worden nieuwe dingen gemaakt,’ Het Parool, July 13, 1974.
[5] Yvonne Beumkes ‘De Jaren ’70.’ Bericht aan de NDT Vrienden, nr. 14, 1984.
[6] Kamphoff, ‘Ballet Caterpillar: rauw topstuk’, Parool, 19 February 1975.
[7] Susan Bloch, ‘Jiří Kylián: Some Notes.’ NDT Archives, date unknown.
[8] Clive Barnes, ‘Dutch dance a rare treat’, New York Post, July 10, 1979; Joyce Wells, ‘Chech-ing it out’, Women’s Wear Daily, July 18, 1979. Both articles in archives NDT.
[9] The group had already started in September 1977. See text programme 3, season 1987/1988, NDT 2.
[10] After Simon Mottram, the artistic directorship subsequently went to Hilary Cartwritght and Gradimir Pankov. In 1981 Arlette van Boven took over and changed the course of the ensemble. The text of the nineties will expand on this topic.
[11]‘The purpose and direction of the aspirants’, The Hague Municipal Archives, BNR 705 inv. no. 363.
For further reading we recommend 'Nederlands Dans Theater | 60.' This book is published on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of NDT and comprises the personal stories of sixty people aligned to the company, next to the abovementioned text.
We did our utmost best to trace and gain permission from all right holders with regard to the photos and videos exhibited on this platform. Anyone who thinks his/her materials has been used without prior consent is requested to contact us.
