Introdans is a dance company based in the city of

Arnhem Arnhem ( ; ; Central Dutch dialects, Ernems: ''Èrnem'') is a Cities of the Netherlands, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands, near the German border. It is the capita ...

in the Netherlands, established in 1971 by Hans Focking and Ton Wiggers. In 2009 the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science designated Introdans part of the basic national infrastructure.

History

The company was founded in 1971 by Ton Wiggers, a former dancer, with a few friends who met in his living room in Arnhem. At first the small company produced

classical ballet Classical ballet is any of the traditional, formal styles of ballet that exclusively employ classical ballet technique. It is known for its aesthetics and rigorous technique (such as en pointe, pointe work, turnout (ballet), turnout of the legs, ...

pieces choreographed by Wiggers. The company gradually became known, first touring in the Netherlands and then in 1993 making its international debut. Since then Introdans has traveled widely. For example, it was the first company to perform on the new stage of the

Bolshoi Theatre The Bolshoi Theatre ( rus, Большо́й теа́тр, r=Bol'shoy teatr, p=bɐlʲˈʂoj tʲɪˈat(ə)r, t=Grand Theater) is a historic opera house in Moscow, Russia, originally designed by architect Joseph Bové. Before the October Revolutio ...

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

, Russia. In 2001 and 2005 it appeared on Broadway, New York, in 2006 at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2008 at the National Opera in

Tallinn Tallinn is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Estonia, most populous city of Estonia. Situated on a Tallinn Bay, bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, it has a population of (as of 2025) and ...

, Estonia and in 2011 at the Shanghai Centre Theater in

Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...

, China. Princess Margriet of the Netherlands became the Company’s patroness. The company was the subject of a documentary ''"Recognition at Last"'' that was aired on Dutch TV in 2011.

Education

Adriaan Luteijn is the artistic manager of Introdans Education, which runs a program called "Introdans Interactive". This involves interactive workshops that teach young people to participate creatively in dance, classes and performances of integrated and disability dance, and youth performances. In 2008 he was guest speaker at the Ukukhua Komdanso Youth Dance Festival in

Durban Durban ( ; , from meaning "bay, lagoon") is the third-most populous city in South Africa, after Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the largest city in the Provinces of South Africa, province of KwaZulu-Natal. Situated on the east coast of South ...

, South Africa, and this led to a relationship with the Flatfoot Dance Company in which Introdans and Flatfoot visited each other, shared classes and workshops and put on a joint performance in Arnhem in 2010.

Recent tours

Introdans returned to the United States to appear on 1 May 2012 at the

Joyce Theater The Joyce Theatre Foundation is a leading presenter of dance in New York City and nationally. It is runs, in part, from the Joyce Theater, a 472-seat dance performance venue located in the Chelsea, Manhattan, Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

with a show named ''Heavenly''. The show consisted of three very different works: the energetic ''Messiah'' with choreography by Ed Wubbe and music by

George Frideric Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel ( ; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well-known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concerti. Born in Halle, Germany, H ...

; the lyrical ''Fünf Gedichte (five songs)'' by Nils Christe with music by

Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, essayist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most o ...

; and the chaotic but organized hip-hop ''Paradise?'' choreographed by Gisela Rocha of Brazil. The show got lukewarm reviews. One critic said of the show: "This is choreography made to slide in and out of the mind. Even never having seen it, you know all too well where it is going". Another said "The dancers are attractive and highly skilled, if also generic, and the same goes for the choreography".

References

{{reflist , refs= {{cite web , url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/01/arts/dance/introdans-dance-troupes-long-road-to-the-joyce-theater.html , work=The New York Times , title=Dutch Troupe’s Long Road to the Joyce , author=REBECCA MILZOFF , date=April 30, 2012 , accessdate=2012-05-04 {{cite web , url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/03/arts/dance/introdans-dutch-company-at-joyce-theater.html , title=Themes From the Netherlands That Feel Familiar , work=The New York Times , author=CLAUDIA LA ROCCO , date=May 2, 2012 , accessdate=2012-05-04 Contemporary dance companies Dance in the Netherlands