Dates

3 Feb-17 Mar 2024

Location

Tour, The Netherlands

Running time

TBA

Tickets

external sales

tien jaar junior company confetti

Junior Company’s 10th anniversary

This season, the Dutch National Ballet’s Junior Company is presenting an extra festive touring programme to celebrate the tenth anniversary of its foundation and of its artistic coordinator Ernst Meisner. It comprises three completely new creations, plus a piece that the Juniors are dancing for the first time, as well as Valse Fantaisie, a graceful yet very demanding classical gem by the master choreographer George Balanchine.

Photo: Marta Syrko

Junior Company’s 10th anniversary

Ten years ago, even the initiators – Ted Brandsen and former artistic director of the Dutch National Ballet Academy Christopher Powney – could never have imagined just how successful the Junior Company would be. The ensemble is in great demand at ballet venues in the Netherlands and abroad. Dancers from all over the world try to secure a place in the group, and more than forty of those who were successful have now moved up to join Dutch National Ballet’s main company.

 

Hiphop meets ballet

Especially for this anniversary programme, the British-Cameroonian choreographer Joseph Toonga is making Echoes of Memories, his first work for the Juniors. Toonga’s roots are in the hiphop scene, but he has also created works for leading contemporary dance groups, the Royal Ballet School and The Royal Ballet. His productions are characterised not only by his very individual style, but also by the personal stories he incorporates into them.

 

Female choreographers

Young Creative Associate Wubkje Kuindersma is also creating a new work for Ten, in collaboration with a young promising composer, who is still to be announced. The third world premiere in Ten is by the Canadian dancer and choreographer Kirsten Wicklund, in which the Juniors will perform alongside singers from Dutch National Opera Studio – which is celebrating its fifth anniversary this season.

 

Versatile talent

Another addition to the Junior Company’s repertoire is Toccata, by Krzysztof Pastor, director of Polish National Ballet and former dancer and resident choreographer with Dutch National Ballet. It is an athletic work, which allows the Juniors to display their versatile talent.

Credits

Toccata
Premiere for the Junior Company
Choreography  Krzysztof Pastor
Music  Wojciech Kilar – Piano Concerto No.1 (1996): Toccata
Staging  Simonetta Lysy
Costume design  Krzysztof Pastor
Lighting design  Pawel Piotr Jasiński

Valse Fantaisie
Choreography  George Balanchine
Music  Mikhail Glinka – Valse-Fantaisie in B minor (1856)
Costume design  Oliver Haller
Lighting design  Wijnand van der Horst

Echoes of Memories
Choreography  Joseph Toonga
Music  Mönöchröme by Orin (oriyo) Norbert & Joshua Benjamin
Assistant to the choreographer  Amanda de Souza
Ballet master  Michele Jimenez
Costume design  Jessica Xavier
Lighting design  Wijnand van der Horst

World premiere
Choreography  Wubkje Kuindersma
Music  TBA

World premiere
Choreography  Kirsten Wicklund
Music  TBA

FOUR CONTEMPORARY PREMIERES AND ONE CLASSIC MASTERPIECE

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Caroline Sayo Iura
Photo: Altin Kaftira

Ernst Meisner and Caroline Sayo Iura on 10 years Junior Company

makers
Five dancers with gold coloured background
Junior Company tour - Blink (2023) | Photo: Michel Schnater
Duet
Promise (2023) | Photo: Michel Schnater
the group in black
nosotros (2023) | Photo: Michel Schnater
two couples
Pas de quatre (2023) | Photo: Michel Schnater
Junior Company tournee 2023
Junior Company tour 2023 | Photo: Michel Schnater

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