Dutch National Ballet presents
classic
IN DECEMBER, YOU COULD ENJOY LIVESTREAMS OF BACK TO BALLET - CLASSIC ONLINE HERE.
DUE TO THE TIGHTENED CORONA MEASURES, WE WERE FORCED TO CANCEL ALL PHYSICAL PERFORMANCES OF BACK TO BALLET - CLASSIC. YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION HERE: OPERABALLET.NL/CORONA-UPDATE
Safe visit
We have taken careful measures to ensure a safe visit to our theatre, including careful observation of the compulsory 1.5 metre distance in the auditorium and in the foyer.
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Programme
The programme includes highlights from the classical ballet repertoire.
Valse Fantaisie
SWAN LAKE
Set and costumes Toer van Schayk
Lighting Jan Hofstra
CLASSICAL SYMPHONY
This choreography is not part of the stream Back to Ballet - classic which will be available on our online platform from 31 October.
Choreographer and director of Dutch National Ballet Ted Brandsen created Classical Symphony for the male dancers in the company. With this choreography, he provides us with his own interpretation of the theme ‘Back to Ballet’. For the occasion of the company’s annual Gala in 2014, Ted Brandsen created Vivace, set to the music of the final part of Sergei Prokofiev's Classical Symphony. He now expands his creation for this programme.The male dancers move athletically and masterly to the music of Prokofjev.
Choreography Ted Brandsen
Music Sergei Prokofjev, Symphony nr. 1 in D major, Larghetto, Gavotte, Finale
LE CORSAIRE
Paquita
Lighting Hans-Åke Sjöquist
ORCHESTRA
Dutch Ballet Orchestra conducted by Koen Kessels
Dutch Ballet Orchestra
Since its inception in 1965, the orchestra has been proud to accompany its partners, Dutch National Ballet and Nederlands Dans Theater. The working method is unique in the Netherlands. Dutch Ballet Orchestra, with Matthew Rowe as principal conductor, consists of a regular core of 45 musicians, supported where necessary by highly qualified guest performers. This gives the orchestra its unique character: flexible, dynamic and high-quality.
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'Pointe variations like Bengali fireworks'
'...a virtuoso ballet full of jumps, pointe work and 'pas de chats' (literally: cat jumps), with the male as a central figure.'
'And, of course, Swan Lake is not to be missed. Once again it becomes apparent how spicy a pas de deux is for a man, with the balancing of his partner, the meticulous weight transfers and numerous high lifts.'

George Balanchine
ChoreographerGeorge Balanchine made quite a mark on the development of theatrical dance - he is the maestro of story-less musical ballet. His ballets mostly stand out because of their architectonic composition of choreographic patterns and dance themes.
Marius Petipa
ChoreographerMarius Petipa (1818-1910), son of the French ballet master Jean Petipa, made his debut as dancer in 1828, in a version of Pierre Gardel’s Le Dansomanie staged by his father. In 1847, he was engaged as a dancer with the Imperial Theatres in St Petersburg. Seven years later, he became a teacher at the Imperial Ballet School in the same city.

Rachel Beaujean
Associate Artistic DirectorRachel Beaujean (Helmond, 1959) joined Dutch National Ballet in 1977 and was promoted to soloist in 1981. She took up the position of ballet mistress in 1997 and has held the post of head of the artistic staff since 2003. Since September 2017, Rachel Beaujean has been Associate Artistic Director.

Ted Brandsen
Director of Dutch National Ballet, Resident ChoreographerTed Brandsen danced with Dutch National Ballet from 1981 to 1991. In 1991, he retired from dancing in favour of concentrating on choreography. In 1998, Brandsen was appointed artistic director of West Australian Ballet in Perth. At the beginning of 2002, Brandsen returned to Dutch National Ballet, initially in the position of assistant artistic director and resident choreographer and since 2003 as artistic director of the company. Ted Brandsen has been the director of Dutch National Ballet since August 2012.
Photos: Michel Schnater, Marc Haegeman, Angela Sterling, Altin Kaftira
Main sponsor Junior Company