Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) 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, but performs on a yearly basis for an international audience of 150,000 visitors in Europe, the USA, Asia and Australia. Since its foundation in 1959, this rebellious pioneering company has built a rich repertoire of over 650 ballets, by master choreographers such as Jir?i? Kylia?n, Hans van Manen, renowned house choreographers Sol Leo?n & Paul Lightfoot, associate choreographers Crystal Pite and Marco Goecke and high-profiled guests such as Johan Inger, Medhi Walerski, Alexander Ekman, Gabriela Carrizo, Franck Chartier, Hofesh Shechter, Edward Clug, and Sharon Eyal & Gai Behar.

In 1978, NDT founded a second division to feed the main company with young talent. In the time span of three years, NDT 2 prepares sixteen classically trained dancers from around the world for NDT 1. Whereas the first company offers a chance for the dancers to further develop their artistic personality, the second company, NDT 2 offers a varied repertoire consisting of works by established choreographers as well as upcoming stars, such as Jir?i? Kylia?n, Edward Clug, Imre van Opstal and Marne van Opstal. One of the objectives of NDT 2, is to acquaint the dancers with a lexicon of dance languages. Working together with upcoming choreographers, provides the dancers with the opportunity to learn to react quickly to different dance languages, techniques and working methods.

At NDT's home base in The Hague, all this comes together daily in surroundings that are regarded as a breeding ground, constantly moving ahead to contribute a new energy to contemporary dance in the Netherlands as well as abroad.

Photo © Rahi Rezvani