Harbor Me | Choreography Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui
Anchor me, protect me. In Harbor Me, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui sends his three dancers on a quest for a safe haven. Can they offer each other the support they need so much? And if so, can they actually accept this support, too? The stage set is reminiscent of a harbour at low tide, with the three dancers dancing in the mud that’s left exposed. A work that’s full of sadness and missed chances to connect and merge. It’s a new jewel in the Introdans treasury of dance.

“A hugely supple play of action and reaction, in which Giuseppe Calabrese, Vincenzo Turiano and Federico Toselli bend and curve together, mould themselves and support each other in eye-catching physical sculptures, and then occasionally break out for exuberant leaps. And of course Cherkaoui’s characteristic, highly agile shoulder balances and shoulder rolls are present as well.”

NRC

Azul | Choreography Jorge Pérez Martínez
Azul, created by the choreographer and former Introdans dancer Jorge Pérez Martínez, is a fresh and feisty work that enchants with its own language of the body and superb, striking partner work, danced to three classical Spanish guitar compositions. Pérez Martínez takes his inspiration from the atmosphere of the music and the Mediterranean Spanish vibe. Specially for Aqua, Pérez Martínez is now adding an additional section to the existing ballet. Azul is upbeat and lively, but it always has an element of melancholy, too.

“A group piece by ex-Introdans performer Jorge Pérez Martinez. For the AQUA programme he has augmented his optimistic Azul (2017), set to three Spanish guitar classics, with a section featuring even more clearly timed movement set to Vivaldi’s mandolin concerto and danced against a backdrop of blue shades. This gives Azul the quality of an endless walk along a Mediterranean beach, with your toes in the surf.”

De Volkskrant

EARTH | Choreography Manuel Vignoulle
No earth without water, and no water without earth. From the very start the three dancers in EARTH by Manuel Vignoulle are almost continually linked together. It’s a reference to the connection we all share with each other. Vignoulle sees this work as a homage to the Earth, and it’s complemented wonderfully by the almost meditative music. The patterns on the tight-fitting costumes are reminiscent of tribal body art.

“The ‘watery’ aspect is contained mostly in the echoing waves of the singing (Deuter’s luscious Coucher de Lune) and the expertly and flowingly combined sequence of supporting, lifting and climbing over each other. No matter whether hugging the floor or standing on a partner’s shoulders, the dancers remain mutually connected almost constantly, in an unbroken flow of energy.”

NRC

Oceana | Choreography Lucinda Childs
In Oceana it seems as if the dancers are dancing under the surface of the sea, thanks in part to the huge backdrop video projection of surging water. While an Argentinian choir whispers softly in our ears, the dancers trip across the stage in the characteristically calming and repetitive dance style favoured by choreographer Lucinda Childs. This ‘queen of minimalism’ has made a version of this piece specially for Introdans, with an even larger number of dancers. ‘It undulates and ripples, it dances and it’s Lucinda. It’s so meditative, I can watch it for hours.’ (Roel Voorintholt, artistic director of Introdans).

“The strength of Oceana is the effect created by the calm repetitions of simple, classical dance-step combinations, each time with a minimal change or shift of direction. As a result, the movements of the rows of dancers evoke the image of little waves flowing across a beach.”

NRC