87 The Junior Company of Dutch National Ballet represents the future. Not only because of its young dancers, the stars of tomorrow, but also because it shines a spotlight on emerging choreographic talent. Alongside celebrated works by Hans van Manen and British master choreographer Sir Kenneth MacMillan, touring programme Ballet Vibes features no fewer than four world premières and one Dutch premiere. Three of these new creations are by promising young makers: Zoë Greten, Luca Abdel-Nour and Rutkay Özpinar. Each brings a different cultural background, creates a singular and compelling world, and connects instinctively with the lived experience of the Junior Company dancers. Diverse dance styles The works of the three choreographers draw on a diverse range of dance languages, from contemporary dance and hip-hop to Turkish dance traditions. At the same time, it is vital for the Junior Company dancers to deepen their grounding in pure classical technique. They are given that opportunity in a new creation by Ernst Meisner (who this season hands over his leadership of the group to Christopher Powney, see page 102), as well as in the second movement of Concerto, Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s serene yet demanding pas de deux. Hilarious crash course Humour and dance are not an obvious pairing. Few choreographers truly master that art. Hans van Manen and Eric Gauthier, however, do so with flair. We present Gauthier’s Ballet 102 for the first time, the sequel to his hilarious crash course in ballet, Ballet 101. The evening concludes with Van Manen’s In the Future, a sparkling tour de force in which the grand master plays with colour, bodies, wit and imagination. Touring programme In the Future Choreography Hans van Manen Music David Byrne Set, costume and lighting design Keso Dekker Concerto – second movement Choreography Sir Kenneth MacMillan Music Dmitri Shostakovich Costume design Jürgen Rose Ballet 102 Premiere for the Junior Company Choreography, costume and lighting design Eric Gauthier Music Jens-Peter Abele, Eric Gauthier World premiere Choreography Ernst Meisner Costume design Oliver Haller World premiere Choreography Zoë Greten Costume design Annemarije van Harten World premiere Choreography Luca Abdel-Nour Costume design Luca Abdel-Nour and Michelle Cantwell Spilling the Ugly World premiere Choreography Rutkay Özpinar Music Jorg Schellekens Costume design Annemarije van Harten Lighting design (all world premieres) Wijnand van der Horst Premiere 6/2/2027 Location: Meervaart, Amsterdam | Curtain-up: 19:30 | Subsequent performances on Dutch tour: 7, 10, 12, 14, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28 February, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 March 2027 (see page 123) Dancers: Rosa Cabrera Nuesi, Eliza Vigoren, Edward Cooley | Photo: Petrovsky & Ramone Main sponsor Junior Company Partners Junior Company Ballet Vibes Hans van Manen / Sir Kenneth MacMillan / Eric Gauthier / Ernst Meisner / Zoë Greten / Luca Abdel-Nour / Rutkay Özpinar
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