December 13, 2024

In the spring of 2025, Introdans presents two monumental, minimalist dance performances by two iconic choreographers. With ICON by the 85-year-old American choreographer Lucinda Childs and TYPHOON by the 81-year-old Dutch choreographer Krisztina de Châtel, the company pays homage to their entirely unique, hypnotic works. The audience will experience a (time) journey, from older works from the 1970s to a brand-new piece created by Lucinda Childs specifically for Introdans. These programs honor two greats of minimalist dance. TYPHOON premieres on February 22, 2025, at ITA Amsterdam, with a national tour primarily in mid-sized venues running until May 10, 2025. ICON premieres on March 14, 2025, at Stadsschouwburg Nijmegen, followed by a national tour in large venues until May 9, 2025.

“Introdans values preserving and reviving existing repertoire to ensure dance does not become a disposable art form, allowing a new generation to experience these impressive works. I’ve always admired the minimalist work of Lucinda Childs and Krisztina de Châtel. The clarity of structure that De Châtel demonstrates in TYPHOON, the subtle shifts, and the struggle with the power of the wind machines are immensely captivating. The meditative and highly aesthetic work of Childs draws you in and holds your attention until the end. In 2025, Childs turns 85. We are honored that she is creating a new work for us and that we can celebrate this milestone together with this focus program,” says Roel Voorintholt, artistic director of Introdans.

ICON: A Focus Programme on the Work of Lucinda Childs
With the ICON focus programme, Introdans celebrates Lucinda Childs’ 85th birthday. The audience is taken on a (time) journey starting with Interior Drama from 1977, new to Dutch audiences. This is followed by favorites like Kilar, Petricor, and Concerto. The journey concludes with the world premiere of a new piece by Childs: Notes of Longing. “How special it is that we, as a Dutch company, have been able to build such an intensive relationship with this American icon. Her work is meditative and offers reflection in an often chaotic world,” says Roel Voorintholt. With her geometric, almost mathematical movement language and her play with repetition and variation, Childs has built a masterful repertoire that is acclaimed worldwide. Introdans has the privilege of being the only company in the world to regularly perform a large part of this work. In select theaters, ICON will be performed live with music by the National Youth Orchestra.

TYPHOON: A Monumental Test of Strength
Introdans brings Krisztina de Châtel’s work back to the stage with a revival of her iconic performance TYPHOON (1986). This monumental choreography unfolds against a backdrop of wind machines, designed by visual artist Peter Vermeulen. The dancers confront the wind, which ranges from a gentle breeze to a full storm, making their movements palpable representations of what is otherwise intangible. “With TYPHOON, we showcase the timeless power of De Châtel’s work and make it accessible to a new generation,” says Roel Voorintholt. Accompanied by the iconic sounds of Simeon ten Holt’s Canto Ostinato, this performance offers a profound and immersive experience. TYPHOON is a co-production between Introdans and Stichting De Châtel sur Place.

About Lucinda Childs
Uncompromising. That’s how American choreographer Lucinda Childs (1940) describes her own work. Childs is considered one of the ‘grand old ladies’ of American modern dance and stands out with a movement style that is entirely her own: invariably abstract and – due to her unique use of music – exceedingly difficult to perform. She creates, as she says herself, a number of movement phrases around a theme and then explores as many variations within them as possible. Childs has been hugely influential in the development of modern dance in the 20th century.

About Krisztina de Châtel
Choreographer Krisztina de Châtel (1943) continues to captivate audiences with her unique, energetic dance full of minimalist and mathematical movements. The successful revivals of Thron (2017) and Pulse (2019) and the monumental Föld (2022) demonstrate how her work continues to resonate with new generations of viewers. Her performances revolve around contrasts and confrontations: vulnerable human bodies face elements of nature like wind, earth, and water, or the imposing spaces of churches or industrial buildings. Within the body itself, a struggle takes place between passion and control, between individual freedom and the anonymity and security of the collective.