Nederlands Dans Theater / NDT 1

THE HOLE

NDT associate choreographer Crystal Pite (Canada) is a highly demanded voice in dance. Pite’s riveting works depict the complexity and humanity of our generation with a distinctive tone that is rich with imagination and intelligence. In 2002, the choreographer and dancer founded Kidd Pivot whose name — part outlaw, part balletic technique — embodies her own balance of “recklessness and rigor”. As a choreographer, Pite is an image-maker that creates work of rare distinction and strikes a hybrid between dance and theatre. Through the virtuose poetry of her choreography, she is always able to seek a humanity and craft space and musicality in bold, rich scores. NDT is very excited to present another world premiere by Pite whose work speaks across borders and audiences around the world.

Nederlands Dans Theater and Complicité present this new work by Crystal Pite, in collaboration with Complicité Artistic Director Simon McBurney. This is the first piece in a triptych of collaborations between these two world-renowned artists that will be presented between 2022 and 2025. Complicité is an international touring theatre company based in London. Complicité works across art forms, believing theatre, dance, opera, film, installation, publication and participatory arts can all be sites for the collective act of imagination. Founded in 1983, the Company has won over 50 major theatre awards worldwide. This is NDT’s first co-production with the Company.

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PRESS

"Naharin has managed to create an inspiring space in which he stirs up the imagination with remarkable ingenuity. That makes The Hole a sensational, unforgettable experience." Leids Dagblad

"A stubborn paradise with a bang effect." Theaterkrant ****

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OHAD NAHARIN

Ohad Naharin is the House Choreographer of Batsheva Dance Company and creator of the Gaga movement language.

Naharin was born in 1952 in Mizra, Israel.  His mother is a choreographer, dance teacher, and Feldenkrais instructor, and his father was an actor and psychologist.  He joined Batsheva Dance Company in 1974 despite having little formal training.  During his first year, guest choreographer Martha Graham invited him to join her own company in New York.  Between 1975 and 1976, Naharin studied at the School of American Ballet, The Juilliard School, and with Maggie Black and David Howard.  He then joined Maurice Béjart’s Ballet du XXe Siecle in Brussels for one season.

Naharin returned to New York in 1979 and made his choreographic debut at the Kazuko Hirabayshi studio the following year.  From 1980 until 1990, Naharin presented works in New York and abroad, including pieces for Batsheva Dance Company, the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company, and Nederlands Dans Theater.  At the same time, he worked with his first wife, Mari Kajiwara, and a group of dancers in New York. Naharin and Kajiwara continued to work together until she died from cancer in 2001. 

In 1990, Naharin was appointed Artistic Director of Batsheva Dance Company, and in the same year, he established the company’s junior division, Batsheva – the Young Ensemble.  He has since created over thirty works for both companies. After almost thirty years of leading Batsheva, Naharin stepped down as Artistic Director in 2018, and continues to serve as the Company's House Choreographer.

In addition to his stagework, Naharin also developed GAGA, an innovative movement language based on research into heightening sensation and imagination, becoming aware of form, finding new movement habits, and going beyond familiar limits.  GAGA is the daily training of Batsheva’s dancers and has spread globally among both dancers and non-dancers. 

Naharin trained in music throughout his childhood and continues to infuse his work with a unique musicality.  He collaborated with the Israeli rock group, The Tractor’s Revenge (Kyr, 1990), Avi Balleli and Dan Makov (Anaphaza, 1993), Ivri Lider (Z/na, 1995), and Grischa Lichtenberger (Last Work, 2015). Under the pseudonym Maxim Waratt, he composed music for MAX (2007) and edited and mixed the soundtracks for Mamootot (2003), Hora (2009), Sadeh21 (2011), The Hole (2013), Last Work (2015) and Venezuela (2017).

Naharin’s work has also been featured in several films. In his 2007 documentary, Out of Focus, Director Tomer Heymann filmed the process of restaging Decadance with Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet.  And in 2015, the Heymann Brothers released their comprehensive documentary about Naharin, Mr. Gaga, to critical and audience acclaim.

A citizen of both Israel and the United States, Naharin currently lives in Israel with his wife, dancer and costume designer Eri Nakamura, and their daughter, Noga.