Without The Hague, there would be no Nederlands Dans Theater. From our home base, we’ve been touring the world with our dance performances for decades — always carrying the heart and soul of The Hague with us.
An annual favourite of ours is Switch: an evening entirely curated, produced, and choreographed by the dancers of NDT 1 and NDT 2. The 2026 edition of Switch takes place on 17 January.
In the upcoming programme The Edge of Things, you’ll see three works that are boundary-pushing, playful, and spectacular. One of them is a new creation by our associate choreographer Jermaine Spivey. We sat down with him in between rehearsals and asked him everything about his journey in dance, his movement language, and of course, what you can expect from his new work.
“As a child, I was always dancing: copying music videos, mimicking the movements of figure skating and gymnastics — you name it. My mother noticed this and enrolled me in an after-school ballet programme when I was about 11. I was accepted and absolutely loved it, though for a long time I was afraid of being teased for it. My mother really got me through those years, constantly encouraging me to keep going. From there I went on to the conservatoire and later to Juilliard, where I expanded my vocabulary with a lot of modern dance techniques. After graduating, I worked as a dancer in various countries across Europe, where I was introduced to contemporary dance and improvisation. That was crucial for my development, not only as a dancer, but also as a maker. The transition into choreography happened very organically; I staged works for Crystal Pite and several other choreographers, which meant I had to analyse dance from a different perspective. I had to think about how to pass it on, how to lead, create space, and understand what dancers need to make material their own. Equipped with those skills, I began to create my own work.”
“My movement language combines different dance styles and genres. I’m classically trained, so ballet is always present in some form, but I also enjoy pushing against it, sometimes even completely subverting it. When I danced with Crystal Pite and William Forsythe, I was often part of processes where a dance structure was created — a sequence of movements, for example — only to be completely deconstructed. Out of those fragments, a new structure would emerge that looked nothing like the original. That cycle would repeat itself. As a choreographer, I follow a similar approach. You’ll also see repetition in my work, but not out of convenience or simply to build recognition. I use it to throw the viewer off balance: something may seem the same, but then suddenly it takes a completely different turn. It’s similar to jazz music, where there are songs and melodies everyone knows, but each musician performs them differently. There’s a structure, but also room for freedom and spontaneity, which keeps the music alive. That’s what I aim for in dance: I create a framework but also want the dancers to be composers who are free to make decisions in the moment.”
“I started the creative process by exploring ways of bringing people together: finding connection, being together in stillness, being free together, and so on. We researched this in the studio through improvisation. The work itself doesn’t have a specific meaning, which made me reflect on how, in daily life, we’re often eager to attach meaning and explanations to everything. But what if we let go of that entirely? I invited the dancers into this philosophical exploration, and the studio became a kind of laboratory. Out of that, the new creation emerged. The work plays with shifts in timing, rhythm, tone, light, even temperature. Rather than presenting a specific narrative, I want to offer the audience an experience. For me, it’s about evoking a feeling and inviting them into the moment. What happens to you, as a viewer, when all of these changes unfold? The work is almost like being in a jazz club: it’s alive, simmering, and the audience is part of the magic.”
“I’m inspired by Crystal Pite, my former mentor Stephanie Powell, my parents, singers like Sarah Vaughan, Rachelle Ferrell, and Daryl Coley, and jazz music in general. But I’m also inspired by NDT: the works, the dedication, and this unstoppable desire and curiosity for innovation in dance.”
“I love to sing, I make music – often for my own creations – and I listen to a lot of music, especially jazz, soul, and gospel. I’m currently listening to a lot of Samara Joy; she’s a jazz singer who really inspires me right now. Do check her out!”
In his new creation, our new associate choreographer Jermaine Spivey pushes the boundaries of dancers and audiences with his talent for improvisation, spontaneity and structure. Spivey will premiere on 26 September at Amare, The Hague, during The Edge of Things. Visit the NDT 2 performance and discover the new creation by choreographer Ethan Colangelo and the revival of FIT (2018) by Alexander Ekman. The performance will tour throughout the Netherlands from September to November.
