Festive, unique and vibrant with zest for life and energy: the Holland Dance Festival opens its nineteenth edition with a special surprise gala. Under the title Future of Dance, we zoom in completely on young dance talent and present the stars of the future.
During this gala, no less than three of the best junior companies in the world will perform for you. The first ensemble, Ailey II from New York, is one of our main guests this year and kicks off the celebration of his fiftieth birthday. The group was founded in 1974 by the American choreographer and visionary Alvin Ailey, making it one of the first junior ensembles worldwide. Ailey knew and proved that his young, virtuoso, mostly African-American dancers are able to reap just as much, and sometimes even more, success than the 'main company': the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, which we presented with resounding success in 2019.
Breathtaking
Also During this gala, you will become acquainted with the international top talents of the two most important Dutch junior companies, both of which are celebrating an anniversary this season. The Dutch National Ballet's Junior Company has been in existence for ten years now and has since exceeded all expectations: more than half of the dancers of the 'main company' of the National Ballet are former juniors and ten of them now even hold the position of soloist. NDT 2, the second company of Nederlands Dans Theater, is at 45 years old the oldest junior ensemble in our country. In recent decades, it has proven itself as a group that – given its breathtaking dancers – is not only a match for NDT 1, but which adds an extra dimension to the the magic of dance with its fresh, sparkling character.
Jiří Kylian Ring
In addition to the three junior companies, Future of Dance also features performances by young top talents from a number of leading international dance academies. The prestigious Jiří Kylián Ring will also be presented during the gala, which will once again go to someone who has made an inspiring and indispensable contribution to dance in the Netherlands in recent years – or longer.
“Gala performance focusing on young top talent”
