Blast a universe

This season's first NDT 2 programme celebrates our past and present full of radical choices and poetic eloquence. In Blast a universe, we reprise two iconic works from the NDT repertoire and proudly present a world premiere by choreographer Noé Soulier.

Jiří Kylián's visual Sleepless (2004) was born out of his reflection on the many sleepless nights choreographers experience during the process of creating new work. "It would be an interesting study to count back and add up all the sleepless nights and hours...," says Kylián. He was also inspired by the paintings of Argentinian artist Lucio Fontana, who managed to break through traditional dimensions with his works and opened doors to the unknown in art.

In Sleepless, Kylián explores the conscious and subconscious within us, with complex duets and sophisticated musicality; a celebration of Kylián's talent for letting the poetry of the body speak for itself.

Following his NDT debut About Now (2023), we are delighted to have choreographer Noé Soulier back with us for a world premiere. Soulier approaches choreography as a study of movement: how movement works, how it enters and how we observe it. Soulier explains his approach: "I explore how a single gesture can grow into a grand physical structure." In doing so, he makes the intelligence of the body more important than telling a specific story. With a combination of experimental techno and natural sounds by composer Sa Pa, this new work promises to be a tantalising experience that you can both see and feel.

Associate choreographer Marco Goecke created The Big Crying (2021) shortly after the death of his father; one of his most personal and vulnerable works to date. "It is a creation about saying goodbye and about everything we have to burn," says Goecke. Set to music by Tori Amos, we watch the dancers move like broken machines with Goecke's signature complex and emotional movement language. The Big Crying is about our urge to live, even in times of grief and loss. We are proud to dance this powerful work again.

Dance Series This performance is part of the Dance Series - three nights. Three world-class performances. One series to attend. The absolute top in one series: NDT 2, Scapino Ballet Rotterdam ánd ISH Dance Collective. Grand in execution, touching in detail, absolutely breathtaking. This series of three dances mercilessly over you. But in such a way that you want to have another go. Or two. Order the series here!

This show will feature a free pre-show at 19:15. Please do order free tickets. Then we know you will be there!