with composer (and Project Rembrandt winner–ed.) Thomas van Dun.” We’ll also be seeing works by David Dawson, Krzysztof Pastor and yourself, as well as by the new Associate Artist of Dutch National Ballet, Alexei Ratmansky. What can you tell us about their pieces? “Krzysztof – who’s now been director of the Polish National Ballet for many years – is going to create a new ballet for a large cast of dancers, which I’m looking forward to immensely. We’re also presenting a new work by Alexei Ratmansky. I’m proud that we’ve been able to strengthen our ties with him even further, by appointing him Associate Artist. And we’re reviving Empire Noir, by David, who like Alexei is one of the world’s leading choreographers. This highly acclaimed ballet dates from 2015, but already contains all the hallmarks of David’s style: enormous drive, technical virtuosity and exceptional physical power. My own contribution is the revival of Carmen, which I created for West Australian Ballet in 2000 (and which received the Australian Dance Award – ed.). It fits well in the tradition we’ve since built up of presenting productions about strong women – Coppelia, Mata Hari, Frida, Raymonda and Lady Macbeth – to counterbalance the role of victim often traditionally played by women in classical ballet. We’re pairing Carmen with the equally sunny and high-spirited Paquita, which can best be described as a glittering showcase of classical ballet technique.” You once said in an interview, “New talent is the life blood of every ballet company.” What new talent can we expect in the coming season? “We’ve got a variety of programmes that give young choreographers and/or dancers the opportunity to make new work, such as New Moves, NextSteps and our Choreographic Academy (see page 104). Besides that, in the Junior Company programme Ballet Beats, we’re presenting new works by three young makers who’ve already proved their talent: Joshua Junker, Mthuthuzeli November and Arielle Smith Jones. All three give new impulses to the ballet vocabulary – and thus to our dancers – by drawing on their original background: hiphop, African dance and modern dance respectively. It’s a refreshing ‘dialogue’ that’s been initiated in recent years by Ernst Meisner and ISH director Marco Gerris, through their joint productions. One of those, GRIMM, will be performed throughout the Netherlands again this season, due to its earlier resounding success.” How do you look back on your time as artistic director, and what are your wishes for the future? “I’m extremely grateful for everything I’ve been able to do in the past twenty years or so. I count myself lucky to have had the opportunity to work with so many fantastic people. Ballet’s not something you do alone – it takes a village! I regularly look with amazement at all we’ve achieved. The Junior Company, which has become even more successful than we ever dared hope, under Ernst Meisner and Caroline Sayo Iura. Rachel Beaujean, who’s become an expert in taking a fresh look at famous classics. The way we’ve managed to perpetuate Hans van Manen’s oeuvre through setting up the Van Manen Foundation. The numerous new works, many tours and all those wonderful dancers I’ve watched surpass themselves. When I was appointed artistic director in 2003, the company was not in the greatest shape, and I’m proud to leave it looking considerably better. I hope the group will continue to grow in the coming decades. But I also hope that even more people will come to realise what a wonderfully rich repertoire and what fantastic dancers we have here, and what an incredibly high international standing Dutch National Ballet has attained. The value of this, and of art in general, cannot be overestimated. Without imagination, we can’t conceive of what others are like and what they’re thinking. And without the connection that art brings about, and which I see arising every day among the thirty different nationalities of our group, we can’t break down walls. As a society, we can choose for light; we can choose to hold on to one another and to make a difference. I hope that many more people – and certainly politicians too – become fully aware of that fact.” “B allet is not a painting alongside which you can hang an informative label” 71
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