Nederlands Dans Theater 1

Source: The List (Issue 600)
Date: 10 April 2008
Written by: Kirstin Innes

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Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Fri 11 & Sat 12 Apr

CONTEMPORARY DANCE

Although Nederlands Dans Theater’s ever-excellent youth company paid us a visit in May 2007, it’s been almost two years since principal company NDT1’s memorable, award-winning appearance at the International Festival in 2006. They’re touring a triple bill of new works by their in-house choreographers, Jirí Kylián and husband and wife team Sol León and Paul Lightfoot, all of which situate modern concerns of identity against music by Bach, Mozart, John Cage and Samuel Beckett. Or at least, that’s what principal dancer Fernando Hernando Magadan thinks.

‘Wings of Wax, which is the first piece we’re presenting by Jirí Kylián, is a very balletic piece,’ he says. ‘You know the mythological story of Icarus – when he was trying to reach the clouds? Well, the choreography of this piece is also trying to approach that feeling – really trying to reach somewhere, but being afraid of falling, of not succeeding. Tar and Feathers (also by Kylián) is about the conflicts one has with oneself, and how to express that. Then there is the piece I am dancing in, Drawn Onward, which is about the fragility of faith – there is a main figure who dances to the voice of a priest. As I dance I imagine my character’s strength resides in his beliefs.’

Magadan is quick to stress that these are only his own interpretations, however. ‘It is very, very mysterious, this choreography – you know?’ he says, laughing. ‘After all that, I think it’s very important that the audience must be able to interpret each work in their own way.’

More: ernando Hernando Magadan, Jirí Kylián, Nederlands Dans Theater, Nederlands Dans Theater 1, Paul Lightfoot, Sol León, Contemporary Dance (Dance), Previews (Theatre)