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Netherlands Dance Theater Opens New Season with Flawed 'Skin of the Mind'

by Helma Klooss
September 29, 2021
Amare
Spuiplein 150
The Hague (Netherlands)
Helma Klooss is a Netherlands-based dance writer and festival organizer. More about her dance festivals can be found at www.danskaravaan.nl, www.danskaravaan-educatief.nl and www.stranddans.nl
The Netherlands Dance Theater started their 2021-2022 dance season under new artistic director Emily Molnar in a brand new theater, Amare in the Hague, with the exciting program Skin of the Mind.

The performance on September 23 started with the beautiful ballet "Bedroom Folk" (2015) by young Israeli duo Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar. The work was created in close relation with composer Ori Lichtik and scenery and lighting designer Thierry Dreyfus, who alternated a black and red backdrop. The dancers were costumed in all black.

Performing to driving rhythmic music, a group of fourteen dancers merged together moving in in unison in small steps. Their torsos were straight, knees and arms angular and sometimes they shook their heads. Those moves were restrained and finely performed during upswings in the music. This unique choreography was performed by the cast with extreme precision.

Tall dancer Scott Fowler had a leading role in the center of the group and was brilliant. Movements grew and shrank, some dancers left the group, but were drawn back as if they belonged to a tribe. These elegant dancers with their high-quality skills performed with passion and lightness. The enthusiastic audience rewarded them with a standing ovation at work's end.

Next, Norwegian choreographer and writer Alan Lucie Oyen made his NDT debut with "Tell your mom you love your skin". He is known for his theatrical approach and explained that the piece is all about identity, gender, the masks we wear, and fiction and reality.

Indeed, all kinds of characters showed up, with a leading role for Isla Clarke, who portrayed "Hope" and was balanced on her toes during the entire ballet. She gave comfort to the character of "Death", danced by Paxton Ricketts who was costumed in a skeleton image. He was accompanied by "Despair" performed by Tess Voelker who needed hugs as well. Instead, Clarke pulled a sack over the head of Voelker for no obvious reason.

All sixteen dancers in the work spoke a lot of text, but most of the text was for Scott Fowler whose character was struggling with himself throughout the piece and was finding support from the others. None of what was spoken had logical lines and was repeated over and over. Phrases such as "I want to talk to my mom," "9/11 the world collapsed, it shaped my life," "I am a heroin in my dreams," "You don’t fit in" and "Love is what I want".

The few group dances were organic with extended gestures and used the whole stage space or took place in small groups with elegant moves such as the dancers moving like cats that was delightfully contagious.

Sadly, "Tell your mom you love your skin" made a rather immature impression. It used far too much incoherent text and the ballet lasted too long.
NDT in 'Bedroom Folk'.

NDT in "Bedroom Folk".

Photo © & courtesy of Rahi Rezvani


NDT in 'Tell Your Mom You Love Your Skin'.

NDT in "Tell Your Mom You Love Your Skin".

Photo © & courtesy of Rahi Rezvani


NDT in 'Tell Your Mom You Love Your Skin'.

NDT in "Tell Your Mom You Love Your Skin".

Photo © & courtesy of Rahi Rezvani


NDT in 'Tell Your Mom You Love Your Skin'.

NDT in "Tell Your Mom You Love Your Skin".

Photo © & courtesy of Rahi Rezvani

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