Vanishing Twin

About the work

– an unfinished work –

Vanishing Twin is a medical term for a woman pregnant with twins in an unusual situation where one of the siblings starts oppressing the other until it vanishes completely. I see this phenomenon as a symbol of our darker and even violent character – a characteristic we are reluctant to accept or disclose to others.

The subtitle is “an unfinished work”. Creative people produce many works which they find unfit to be publicised and which are then classified as “unfinished works’’. However, these works hold certain values and they are certainly not lost. They are only hidden for a while. I am very interested in this untold world….!

The beginning of our physical existence is clearly defined by the time and place of our birth but the moment of our death is kept in the dark. We make all kinds of intricate plans to cheat the fate and try to expand or shorten the duration of our life. But whatever we plan, our lives are constantly punctuated by unpredictable rhythms – our heartbeat, breathing, changing of seasons, walking and dancing. In all our life we try to make some kind of sense of this ‘orderly chaos’. We don’t know how much time is left to us to be able to say whatever we need to say….and we will never know the value of the trace we have left behind. Surely I realize, that I have become a little older, writing these words, and so do you, reading them.

– Jiří Kylián, January 2008

Credits

Choreography: Jiří Kylián
Music: Jiří Kylián (concept)
Dirk Haubrich: composition based on J.S. Bach, 'The Art of Fugue', 'Fugue in 3 Subjects' (Contrapunctus XIV)
Lighting design: Kees Tjebbes
Set design: Jiří Kylián
Video design: Tatsuo Unemi, Daniel Bisig
Costume design: Joke Visser

NDT rehearsal directors: Tamako Akiyama
Rehearsed by: Lorraine Blouin
Duration: 25 minutes
Premiere date: Sept. 26, 2024
Premiere location: Amare, The Hague

Original cast

Madoka Kariya, Luca Tessarini, Rui-Ting Yu, Jon Bond, Nicole Ishimaru, Alexander Andison, Paloma Lassere, Matthew Foley, Pamela Campos, Emmitt Cawley, Anna Bekirova, Conner Bormann

Rehearsal | Vanishing Twin - Jiří Kylián

Two dancers intertwine in a sculptural partnering pose under cool blue stage lighting.

Rui-Ting Yu about 'Vanishing Twin'

“Immerse
moving through the space
searching ,wondering ,responding and existing.
transforming the way we perceive the moment.

Vanishing Twin has been a wonderful journey.

The learning process is fascinating and challenging.

The steps are not just the steps, it’s our intentions and feelings leading into movement. That changes the volume of bodies and space.

I find it exciting that each time this work is different, and I really enjoy it, because it makes me feel so alive.

The experience we share with the audience exists only in the present moment, I think that’s beautiful and unique.”

Luca Tessarini about Vanishing Twin

“Putting together Vanishing Twin with Jiří Kylián has been like stepping into a hall of mirrors—each moment a reflection of the next, bending reality, distorting time, and leaving me in awe of the human body’s potential. Jiří’s works demand not just technical precision but an emotional depth that often feels like peering into the unknown. The unknown? That’s precisely where the magic happens ..

My admiration and connection to Jiří, both personal and professional, have shaped me in ways I’d never anticipated before working with him 8 years ago. He isn’t just about dance; He inspires perspective, patience, and a relentless pursuit of truth in movement. Whether in quiet moments of reflection, conversations about the near and far past or during intense rehearsals, the lessons have been endless—and deeply personal. I’ve come to realize quickly that working with Jiří would be much less about steps and more about the dance of life itself.

Everyone who knows just a fraction of my loves and opinions, is aware that I breathe the deepest respect and love for partnering – and that love finds it’s true home in Jiří’s body of work. His pieces aren’t just about two bodies moving in tandem—they’re about a conversation, a negotiation of weight, trust, and energy. every lift, every connection feels like an exchange, an unspoken dialogue where the silence says more than words ever could.

Partnering under his direction has taught me that it’s not about control, but about letting go, trusting in the strength of the connection. Spending time within Jiří’s choreography over the years has deepened my understanding of what it means to dance with another – to find rhythm in the spaces between us, and to embrace the dance that lives in that in-between.

The mention of my most heartfelt gratitude for my partner Madoka, who never ceases to amaze me with her gifts and unconditional support day in and day out. And our stager Lorraine – who has stood with and by us through every minute of this process, pushing us beyond our abilities and handing us every tool – and more – necessary to embark on this journey that is Vanishing Twin. Off we go, fly we will! Thank you, curtain up!”