From the mid-thirties to early nineties: the four choreographers in Generation Dance may vary widely in age, yet they are linked by their exuberant celebration of the power of dance, which they each express in their own distinct way. The youngest, rising star Rena Butler, is making her Dutch debut in this programme, in combination with two recent hit productions by Ted Brandsen and William Forsythe, and an all-time favourite by Hans van Manen. The American-based Rena Butler is not only a strikingly athletic and explosive dancer – “she eats up space”, in the words of one critic – but also a very talented choreographer. Although her roots are in the modern dance scene, she has now created her first works for ballet companies, including a very earthy, virtuoso pointework piece for The National Ballet of Canada, which caught the eye of artistic director Ted Brandsen. From deliciously languid to sparklingly upbeat Alongside Butler’s new creation, Generation Dance presents two highly acclaimed premieres from recent ballet seasons. In his swinging Blake Works I, William Forsythe creates an infectious ‘visualisation’ of seven numbers by singer-songwriter James Blake. In line with the songs, Forsythe varies the tempos and moods, ranging from deliciously languid to sparklingly upbeat. Ted Brandsen also chose for a pure music ballet when creating his Classical Symphony. The driving force of Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 1 inspired him to make an exciting ode to the male dancer, with a dazzling array of high jumps and dizzying turns. Van Manen: beautiful and timeless The ‘godfather’ of Dutch dance, Hans van Manen, closes the Generation Dance programme with his contemporary classic Four Schumann Pieces. This beautiful, timeless ballet to Schumann’s String Quartet No. 3 is not only Van Manen’s most romantic work, but also one of his most frequently performed ballets worldwide. The challenging main role has previously been performed by such famous dancers as Anthony Dowell, Rudolf Nureyev and Han Ebbelaar. Premiere 11/9/2024 Subsequent performances: 12, 14, 15*, 17, 21, 22*, 25 September 2024 | Curtain-up: 20:15 / *14:00 | Ticket sales start on: 7 May 2024 | Price Category: C | Location: Main Stage, Dutch National Opera & Ballet Programme Classical Symphony Choreography Ted Brandsen Music Sergei Prokofiev World premiere Choreography Rena Butler Music To be announced Four Schumann Pieces Choreography Hans van Manen Music Robert Schumann Blake Works I Choreography William Forsythe Music James Blake Musical accompaniment Dutch Ballet Orchestra conducted by Nathan Brock Alexandra Radius Prize The opening night of Generation Dance, on 11 September, is also the occasion of the presentation of the annual Alexandra Radius Prize. This prize, awarded by the Friends of Dutch National Ballet, will be presented to a dancer who, in the opinion of an expert jury, has stood out in their performances in the 2023 – 2024 season. The prize will be presented by its namesake, former prima ballerina Alexandra Radius. Generation Dance Four generations, four dance sensations 69
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