The Kennedy Center Presents Nederlands Dans Theater

Known for pushing boundaries in contemporary dance with its bold repertory and distinct virtuosity, Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) makes its Kennedy Center debut, April 4-6, 2018 in the Opera House. Based in The Hague, the pioneering Dutch company will present a dynamic repertory program that includes works Shoot the Moon (2006) and Singulière Odyssée (2017) by award-winning NDT house choreographers Sol León and Paul Lightfoot, along with The Statement (2016) by international choreographer Crystal Pite. The company's daring and creative signature style melds modern and classical choreography with an avant-garde aesthetic.

D.C. Premiere of Works by Sol León and Paul Lightfoot

Revolving walls with striking black-and-white wallpaper creating three separate rooms, León and Lightfoot's Shoot the Moon features glimpses of the love lives of three couples. Danced to music by Philip Glass performed by the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra and conducted by Martin West, the dancers's movements are filmed and streamed live above them, mirroring their actions on stage. Also on the program is one of León and Lightfoot's newest works, Singulière Odyssée, premiered in 2017. Set in an Art Deco train station, the production features dancers coming and going as passersby in transit-except for one traveler who lingers, waits, and watches. Set to music by Max Richter, the work reflects the choreographers's awareness of how the predominance of travel, of moving, and of living in an everlasting state of flux has carried through the DNA of our times.

D.C. Premiere of Crystal Pite's The Statement

NDT Associate Choreographer Crystal Pite's The Statement is based on a script by playwright Jonathon Young. Combining text, dance, and theater, the work features four dancers sharing a heated conversation around a conference table symbolizing corporate chaos and negotiation. They have been tasked with fueling a conflict in a distant country and as a result are locked in their own battle for control with each other and with the morality of their actions. Intermixed with a soundscape by Owen Belton, the dancers move around, under, over, and across the table while pre-recorded dialogue from Young's script plays throughout.

Nederlands Dans Theater is one of the world's leading contemporary dance companies, under artistic guidance of choreographer Paul Lightfoot. The Dutch troupe is based in The Hague, and performs for over 105,000 visitors in Europe as well as in the U.S., Asia, and Australia. Since its founding in 1959, this rebellious, pioneering company has built a rich repertoire of over 600 ballets by master choreographers such as Ji?í Kylián, Hans van Manen, renowned house choreographers Sol León & Paul Lightfoot, associate choreographers Crystal Pite, and Marco Goecke and high-profile guest choreographers such as Johan Inger, Medhi Walerski, Alexander Ekman, Gabriela Carrizo, Franck Chartier, Hofesh Shechter, Edward Clug, and Sharon Eyal & Gai Behar. The dancers of NDT are renowned for their versatility, astonishing technique and virtuosic expression. By working together 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.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets start at $19 and can be purchased online, at the Kennedy Center box office or by calling Instant Charge at (202) 467-4600 or (800) 444-1324. For all other ticket-related customer service inquiries, call the Advance Sales Box Office at (202) 416-8540.

Photo by Rahi Rezvani