Now continuing their tour at Cape Town's Baxter Theatre until 14 September, dance fans in the Mother City have the opportunity to see one of Holland's top dance companies in action. Introdans is acknowledged for its prowess in the modern dance style, underpinned by the classical genre, and its dancers seldom, if ever, disappoint.
The Superstars season showcases five international choreographies from the Introdans repertory. These are: Polish Pieces by Hans van Manen; Pas de Danse by Mats Ek; Evening Songs by Jiri Kylian; Anaphase by Ohad Naharin; and Sinfonía India by Nacho Duato.
The programme is delightfully uncomplicated and deceptively simple, demanding high energy and animation from the 12 dancers (together with a mandatory level of sterling execution) and the relaxed attention of the audience. The pieces are short celebrations of pure dance. The desired response? A "bravo" will do! The opening night audience's appreciation became more vocal with every piece.
Polish Pieces had the full cast in a kaleidoscope of colour against a stark black backdrop. The alternately fluid and staccato movements were executed with drama and panache, with surprising sensuality coming through in the pas de deux choreography. Evening Songs splits the company in half, featuring six dancers in a performance reminiscent of old-time dance styles and set to choral music by Dvorák. They show just the right amount of restraint for the choreographer's requirements, with consistently uniform lines and placement.
Pas de Danse was my favourite, beginning with a quirky male solo and filling out with the addition of another man and two women. It's quite a playful piece, light and fun, with a happy air - no wonder it's an established hit for the ensemble.
The choreography and use of costuming for Anaphase was delightfully unexpected and open to some interesting interpretation in post-performance discussions. The final piece, Sinfonía, gave scope to some vigorous choreography that was inspired by composer Carlos Chávez who, in turn, drew motivation from the ritual dances of Mexican Indians. The dancers were able to display their practised skill at combining beautiful fluidity with strong technique, to complete a very pleasant programme.
Introdans was founded in 1971 by Hans Focking and director Ton Wiggers. It is the city of Arnhem's flagship company.
Superstars runs at the Baxter Main Theatre until 14 September at 8pm and on 14 September at 2.30pm. Tickets cost from R90 to R100 via Computicket or 0861 915 8000 and group, student and senior citizen discounts are available via the Baxter box office on +27 (0)21 680 3989.
