Ernst Meisner and Christine Timmer on Let Amsterdam Dance
Getting the whole city dancing
Dance brings people together. That’s exactly what Ernst Meisner – associate director of talent development at Dutch National Ballet and artistic director of the Junior Company – and producer Christine Timmer aim to achieve with the participation project Let Amsterdam Dance. To mark the city’s 750th anniversary, they’re bringing together Amsterdammers from all walks of life – from young to old, from hip-hop dancers to ballroom enthusiasts.
When it’s your birthday, you treat others – and receive gifts in return. But what do you give a city that already has so much and is constantly in motion? Ernst Meisner: “From Dutch National Ballet, it had to be a gift of dance, of course.” That’s how Let Amsterdam Dance came to life – a project in which groups from all eight city districts will perform In C, first individually and later together. “In C is an improvisational choreography by Sasha Waltz, made up of 53 phrases that anyone can dance,” Meisner explains. “Because the dancers themselves decide how often to repeat a phrase, within set guidelines, the piece is all about taking space, giving space, listening and being mindful of each other. That feels especially fitting for a city like Amsterdam, which is growing busier by the day and where living together calls for mutual understanding.”
A city-wide stage
Getting to know each other is a central part of Let Amsterdam Dance. Meisner: “We’re not simply offering a performance as a gift. We don’t just want to bring the city together on our stage – we also want to go out and meet people where they are. That’s why we’re organising performances in locations across all city districts, so that spontaneous dance celebrations can pop up in different places at unexpected times. You might just pass by and think, ‘What’s happening here?’ – and then see your neighbours and our dancers moving together.”
And perhaps it’s not only about dance. Christine Timmer: “To connect with the wider neighbourhood, we’re broadening the project beyond just dance. We are looking at what’s going on locally and giving it a place in the performance. For example, at the Nieuwmarkt, we asked a local community group if they’d like to take part with a Chinese lion dance. You can really sense how strongly the themes of space and connection resonate in the city: people from all kinds of backgrounds live close to each other, but often know very little about one another. Hopefully, Let Amsterdam Dance is bringing them one step closer.”
Stepping outside your comfort zone
Following the location performances, the grand finale will take place on 15 June, when all the groups will come together on the stage of Dutch National Opera & Ballet. Meisner: “From hip-hop crews to a Turkish dance group, from young people to older generations – everyone is involved. What’s beautiful is that each group brings its own interpretation to the movements – exactly as intended.”
Timmer: “I recently visited a ballroom dance group that’s taking part, and they too are stepping completely out of their comfort zone with In C. While we’re getting to know their dance language, they’re discovering our world of theatre and ballet. Each group also has the chance to rehearse on our stage a few times in advance, so they can experience what that feels like. And we’re inviting them to attend other performances too – something they’re really enthusiastic about.”
We can all dance
So, what do you give a city? The answer is shared joy. Timmer: “What matters most is that people discover how much fun you can have together. And that, every now and then, you step out of your own bubble and open yourself up to others. That’s how we break down barriers.”
Meisner: “And that more people realise they can dance too. Whoever you are, wherever you’re from – dance is for everyone. That’s also the essence of In C: whether you’ve been dancing with Dutch National Ballet for twenty years or you’re learning your first choreography, it’s all about listening, making choices and working together. And what happens when everyone comes together on stage? That is the richness of our city.”
Text: Lune Visser
