UNUM at the World expo 2025 – Osaka
In collaboration with the Japanese inclusive theater festival LAND FES, the Sadamatsu-Hamada Ballet Company (Kobe), and the Nieuwe Instituut (Rotterdam), Introdans will present the new choreography UNUM as part of the official program of the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, in May 2025. This work is a creation by Introdans choreographer Adriaan Luteijn and Japanese choreographer and renowned butoh artist Dai Matsuoka, who is also the artistic director of LAND FES. This intergenerational choreography brings together dancers from Introdans, Japanese dancers from the Sadamatsu-Hamada Ballet Company, and guest dancers performing alongside their (grand)parents. Representing Introdans, Angelica will perform with her father, and Mark with his mother. UNUM will premiere on the Dutch National Day at the World Expo in Osaka on May 21, 2025.
UNUM (Latin: One, Unity; example: E pluribus unum – unity from diversity)
UNUM is made possible with support from the Dutch Embassy in Japan.
UNUM is an intergenerational work focusing on the interaction and creativity through dance, bringing together dancers, including those with different physical realities, and their parents, grandparents, and children. By addressing ambitious social themes such as the aging society and family dynamics, the performance challenges audiences to reflect on how we can create a symbiotic society. Introdans, based in Arnhem, the Netherlands, has been actively engaged for many years in promoting inclusive dance (dance with a focus on empowerment and social inclusion), creating works with people with disabilities and the elderly.
The theme “Creating a new dawn together” of the Dutch Pavilion in Osaka — designed by Nieuwe Instituut — aligns with these values. Beyond sustainability, the theme also encompasses the sustainability of coexistence. Through this dance production, Introdans and its partners share the power of dance and the value of intergenerational thought with a global audience. Following its Osaka premiere, UNUM will tour the Kansai region, performing in Kobe (Kobe Bunka Hall) and Kyoto (ROHM Theater). During the tour, choreographers Luteijn and Matsuoka will conduct workshops and lectures on creating professional inclusive artistic productions and engage in dialogue with audiences alongside the dancers.
Photos NEST and Iungo
About Introdans: Dance Empowerment and Inclusion
For over 50 years, we have been inspiring as many people as possible with the art of dance, through dedication, craftsmanship, and passion. Introdans is known for its cutting-edge dance heritage, contemporary classics for youth, interactive projects, and new works by emerging choreographers. As a touring repertory company, we have a significant impact both regionally and internationally, appealing to a wide audience with our energetic and dynamic dance language.
Introdans believes in dance empowerment: the ability of dance to open worlds and connect people to their imagination and to one another. Since its founding in 1971, Introdans has used this empowerment to make a social impact, which is deeply ingrained in our DNA. The company is driven by the conviction that everyone should be accepted as they are. Over the past 25 years, Introdans has become a pioneer in interaction and inclusion, sparking a movement that is now integral to the dance landscape. We aim to further integrate high-quality inclusive dance into our regular programming.
About LAND FES – Japan
LAND FES uniquely connects performing arts, local communities, and diversity. The festival organizes inclusive projects and workshops throughout the year, welcoming everyone regardless of ability, age, or nationality. Their goal is to create a platform that promotes social inclusion and cultural and artistic exchange. Introdans focuses on translating interaction, participation, and inclusion into full-fledged professional dance productions with inclusive casting.
Iungo and NEST
Introdans choreographer Adriaan Luteijn previously created the intergenerational choreography Iungo – NEST, featuring Introdans dancers and their family members. LAND FES drew inspiration from this work. In January 2024, Luteijn traveled to Tokyo to create a new version of Iungo for LAND FES with a mixed Japanese cast, titled Iungo – De Ontmoeting Tokyo. This inclusive choreography demonstrated the value of connecting people across different ages, backgrounds, and physical realities. The collaboration with LAND FES was highly successful and was perceived as unique by participants and audiences alike. The Dutch Embassy in Japan was also impressed by this exchange, which transcended cultural boundaries and broke down social barriers. This led to an invitation to explore further Dutch-Japanese artistic collaborations, culminating in the UNUM choreography project for the upcoming World Expo in Osaka.
Intergenerational Work
The aging population is a universal concern. In the Netherlands, many older adults face isolation, while Japan has an even older population, with nearly 30% aged 65 or older. However, many Japanese seniors remain remarkably vital, often through active movement. Introdans and LAND FES recognize the transformative impact of dance on seniors’ lives. Dancing not only benefits health but also brings joy and fosters social connections.
While working on Iungo – De Ontmoeting Tokyo, Matsuoka and Luteijn discovered a shared interest in intergenerational collaboration. By combining the wisdom of seniors with the physicality of younger generations—and vice versa—they created a fascinating process and artistic result where generations learn from one another. This led to the concept of UNUM, a performance where multiple generations meet on stage.
UNUM Work Process
The rehearsal process for UNUM will take place in both Japan and the Netherlands. Initially, two Introdans dancers and their respective parents will work with Luteijn. They will then travel to Japan to meet four Japanese colleagues (from Matsuoka’s network), who will participate with their grandparents, parents, or children. Together, they will continue developing the production under the guidance of both choreographers.
After an initial introduction in Japan and further collaboration in the Netherlands, they will refine the choreography and project process during online preparatory sessions, inspiring and learning from one another. Matsuoka and Luteijn share artistic responsibility and will also work directly with the dancers.
To establish a strong presence in the Kansai region (where Osaka is located), they partnered with Yusuke Tsutsumi, a former Introdans dancer who is now the General Director of the Sadamatsu-Hamada Ballet Company in Kobe. Tsutsumi brings extensive local connections and supports the tour’s logistics and planning. He also provides dancers from his company in the Kansai/Kobe/Kyoto region, who will participate in UNUM with their (grand)parents.