NDT 2 in Grote Kerk Veere

Marco Goecke The Big Crying

Tom Weinberger The Most Fascinating Problem in the World

The 2020-2021 season has turned out to be quite extraordinary for Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) as a result of the developments surrounding COVID-19. We decided to make the most of the extra time that became available, taking the opportunity to research and build new ideas that support our mission as a dance house and invest in the development, creativity and inspiration of our NDT dancers, as well as in our desire to reach the audience in unique ways. That is why we have invited choreographers to work with our dancers on alternative projects outside our regular programming.

Choreographer Tom Weinberger and the NDT 2 dancers created a new work, specially made for locations outside the traditional theater set-up. Projects like these offer us as a company new perspectives and creative discoveries. In September 2021, the premiere of Tom Weinberger’s work for NDT 2 will finally become reality in the Grote Kerk in Veere. In addition, the dancers of NDT 2 present the acclaimed The Big Crying (2021) by Marco Goecke.

The programme

THE MOST FASCINATING PROBLEM IN THE WORLD – TOM WEINBERGER

The Most Fascinating Problem In The World is constructed to the lecture Myth of myself by philosopher Alan Watts. The performers give life to the ideas surfaced by Mr. Watts as they illustrate them with their bodies, seeking to bridge between the text and the observer. Using the musicality mannerism, humor and irony in Watts’s speech the performers offer a light and intense physical interpretation for the themes brought forward by Watts. Finding ways of expressing an ever pungent point, that all that exists is related to, and is a part of one whole cosmic weave.

'The Most Fascinating Problem In The World'. Dancers: Ivo Mateus, Kele Roberson, Auguste Palayer. Photo: Milena Twiehaus / OFFprojects

TEXT
Alan Watts – Myth of Myself Full Lecture Part 1 – Alan Watts Organization Official

REHEARSAL DIRECTORS
Francesca Caroti, Lydia Bustinduy

ASSISTANT TO THE CHOREOGRAPHER
Milena Twiehaus

LIGHT
Tom Weinberger

COSTUMES
Yolanda Klompstra

MUSIC
Johannes Brahms, played by Yo Yo Ma & Emanuel Ax: Cello Sonata No. 2 in F major, Op. 9: II Adagio affettuoso. Published by Sony Music B.V.
Johan Sebastian Bach, played by Glenn Gould: Partita No. 3 in A minor, BWV 827: VI. Scherzo. Published by Sony Music B.V.
New compositions by Matan Daskal.

SOUND DESIGN
Matan Daskal

WORLD PREMIERE
17 September 2021, Grote Kerk Veere

DURATION
25-30 minutes

CAST
Austin Meiteen, Auguste Palayer, Ivo Mateus, Kele Roberson, Emmitt Cawley, Barry Gans, Jui-Ting Yu, Annika Verplancke, Sophie Whittome, Kenedy Kallas

“He realizes then
that you are something that the whole world is doing

just as when the sea
has waves on it
alright the sea the ocean is waving

and so each one of us
is a waving of the whole cosmos
the entire works
all there is

and with each one of us
its waving and saying
YOHOO
here I am
only it does it differently each time
because variety is the spice of life”

Myth of myself – Alan Watts.

THE BIG CRYING – MARCO GOECKE

“Those who know Marco Goecke’s works know that they always have to do with himself and with the time in which they were created. Perhaps The Big Crying is Goecke’s most personal piece, begun in Autumn 2020, shortly after the death of his father. It is a piece about parting and about everything we have to burn, says the choreographer, speaking of bodies that are like broken engines and of costumes that resemble the curtains of a hearse. It is not surprising that his choice of music includes a Death Lullaby; Blood Roses by the American singer Tori Amos whose music – sometimes confusing and not always comprehensible poetry is very close to Goecke’s dance – hits the mark. The fact that this piece nevertheless comes along with the tremendously fiery power of an entire company, nineteen outstanding dancers, is perhaps due to the fact that, despite all transience, the dance and the choreography celebrate the joy of life and the urge to be alive.” — Nadja Kadel

ASSISTANT TO THE CHOREOGRAPHER
Ralitza Malehounova

MUSIC
Rorogwela: Death Lullaby; Electricity feat. Fire Eater: Indlela Yababi; Extreme Music From Africa (Susan Lawly, 1997).
Tori Amos: Beauty Queen, Marianne (arranged by John Philip Shenale), Blood Roses, In the springtime of his voodoo, Bells ‘For Her’. Published by Downtown Music Publishing. (P) Atlantic Recording Corporation, A Warner Music Group Company. Losing my Religion. Published by Night Garden Music.

SOUND EDITING
Jesse Callaert

DRAMATURGY
Nadja Kadel

LIGHT
Udo Haberland

DECOR & COSTUMES
Marco Goecke

WORLD PREMIERE
18 March 2021, Zuiderstrandtheater The Hague

DURATION
30 minutes

CAST
Emmitt Cawley, Kenedy Kallas, Cassandra Martin, Barry Gans, Demi Bawon, Austin Meiteen, Kele Roberson, Annika Verplancke, Samuel van der Veer, Ivo Mateus, Auguste Palayer, Sophie Whittome, Úrsula Urgeles Gonzalez, Ricardo Hartley III, Jui-Ting Yu, Omani Ormskirk, Nova Valkenhoff, Nick Daniels