BRANKOPOPOVICBLOG: Dutch Dance Festival | Nederlandse Dansdagen 2011

The weekend of 7, 8 and 9 October was a rather busy weekend in Maastricht but it was all about the 14th edition of the Dutch Dance Festival (Nederlandse Dansdagen). The festival presents the most outstanding Dutch dance productions. For several years in a raw I have attended NDD and it's always one of the best cultural events in Maastricht.

The festival opened with a unique combination of GAP by LeineRoebana and you PARA|DISO by Emio Greco|PC, in Theater aan het Vrijthof. Two very different productions. I really liked 'you PARA | DISO', the whole performance was a pleasure for the eyes. Saturday night was again the night of the Dutch Dance Gala with awards, speeches and few performances. Comparing to other years I found the gala program rather disappointing but on the other hand it's hard to judge because you get to see just a part of a production. The performances that stood out was by 'Fake One' by Scapino Ballet Rotterdam and Ferrum by Danshuis Station Zuid.

From what I've seen for me the highlight of the festival this year was for sure 'Insomnia' by Muhanad Rasheed from Iraqi Bodies. Last year, the Iraqi choreographer Muhanad Rasheed won the Dutch Dance Festival Award.
On the Sunday program was also the wonderful production ZOUT by Conny Janssen Danst and live music by Anne Soldaat. I've allready seen ZOUT before: http://brankopopovic.blogspot.com/2011/05/zout-by-conny-janssen-danst.html

New this year in the program was the project Lichtjaren (Lightyears). Young and old people dance, but in Lichtjaren (Lightyears), they dance together. In an inflatable Dance House, the renowned performers Amy Gale (1948) and Luc Boyer (1935). will be sharing the floor in two duets with young dancers Bart de Leeuw (1998) and Sofie Konings (1997) from Limburg (the southern region of the Netherlands). The older performer isn’t seen enough in dance, and not in combination with a dancer who has just started.

Really great weekend again. I'm so happy that Maastricht hosts this great event and I'm looking forward for Dutch Dance Festival 2012 (Nederlandse Dansdagen 2012)! http://www.nederlandsedansdagen.nl

The Dutch Dance Gala is celebrating the wealth of dance in the Netherlands, with nine nominees for the coveted 'Zwanen' the prizes awarded by VSCD (the Dutch Association of Theatres and Concert Halls) for the most impressive dance achievement and dance production.

The award (De Zwaan) for the most impressive dance production went to 'Trip en Masse' by Dansgroep Amsterdam and White Horse collective.

Trip en Masse

Swans

At the opening night of Dutch Dance Festival (Nederlandse Dansdagen 2011) there were two dance performances on the program. 'GAP' by LeineRoebana and 'you PARA | DISO' by ICKamsterdam / Emio Greco|Pc