Theater.nl visited ENERGY
With the premiere of ENERGY on Friday evening 25 September, Introdans blew Theater Amphion away. In two Dutch premieres and two world premieres, four choreographers with Mediterranean roots each give their own surprising interpretation of the concept of ‘energy’: from expressive and exuberant to intimate and felt beneath the skin.
A wild fairground ride on pumping beats
In the foyer, the audience gathers in anticipation, a festive glass of bubbles and the ENERGY programme booklet in hand. No one is yet aware of the spectacle about to unfold when the curtain rises moments later on Tagadà by Italian choreographer Sofia Nappi.
Inspired by the spinning fairground attraction of the same name, the choreography takes the audience on a wild ride as a metaphor for life. “It feels free and the joy of dancing radiates so strongly that I feel like dancing along myself,” says an enthusiastic audience member. In autumn-coloured costumes, the dancers whirl across the stage to the infectious groove of Daft Punk. After twenty minutes, well-deserved applause erupts. “Incredible!” rings out from the audience.
Intimate beneath the skin
A completely different kind of energy is released in Skin in Between by Italian choreographer Aristide Rontini. A low lighting ceiling and four dancers appearing at the front of the stage immediately create an intimate connection with the audience. As one body, the dancers undulate and pulse between different emotions. “Almost as if they’re electrically charged,” as one visitor describes it. The costumes, inspired by chain mail, fit seamlessly like a second skin, reflecting the idea that our skin connects us to our surroundings. The interplay of lighting design, ambient techno music and the tension between attraction and fear evokes a sublime sense of intimacy.
A colourful nod to Spanish village life
After the interval, the audience is transported to the Spain of the 1960s and ’70s with Flabbergast by Spanish choreographer Gustavo Ramírez Sansano. With colourful costumes and rousing Latin American music, joy bursts from the stage. The dancers parade past the audience, and one even shines singing live on a high platform. The village stereotypes rightly draw plenty of laughter and spontaneous applause, especially when a woman trades in her male suitors for a woman. “I was completely won over,” says one audience member afterwards, visibly impressed.
To the extreme
The Spanish joy contrasts sharply with the finale of the evening, Pulsetic by Greek choreographer Andonis Foniadakis. For a moment, the audience finds itself in an ominous world, described by one visitor as “frightening and intense”. Through the interplay of light and smoke, the dancers even rise above the clouds. As Foniadakis himself puts it, Pulsetic moves “like a beating heart”, allowing the audience not only to see energy but to feel it intensely. The first reactions from the audience are overwhelming: “I had goosebumps for minutes.”
Charged up on the way home
Cheerful and with at least as much energy as the dancers, the audience leaves the theatre. Introdans breaks with the traditional image of ballet in a remarkable way, showing how powerful, contemporary and versatile the art form can be. Visitors call the programme “innovative, refreshing and different from what you’re used to”. So anyone looking for a real boost this autumn should not miss ENERGY!
ENERGY by Introdans can be seen in theatres across the Netherlands until 25 November 2026.
Read the article on Theater.nl