BN'ers at Scapino Ballet's captivating lucky draw TWOOLS

Model in motion

TWOOLS starts with a duet by Jan Kooijman and Henna Lee to music by DJ Don Diablo. Two more duets will follow later that evening. Jan assumes the role of the underdog beforehand: critics should not expect too much. However, the dancing is very well done, the bond between the two is close and they show genuine pleasure in dancing. A pick-me-up for those at a certain age who hesitate to continue dancing. So seeing more dance with Jan and Henna, including on works by other choreographers, is worthwhile.

Calibre

Whatever Mischa van Leeuwen does as a dancer or choreographer, it will be calibre. Just like HumanMachinery in which three dancers make their way through the space from popping lights. Also Countless in Reversing Gear by new resident choreographer Fang-Yu Shen, her first presentation on the Scapino stage, is of an excellent standard. The most exciting work, however, comes from other quarters.

Original

I MEAN may mean that the woman in the chair is acting as a bitch set up. Through a microphone, she hoots instructions to dancer Bryndis Brynjofsdottir. The latter has to give shape to what the maniacal teacher all feels and means. Such a character is taken from life. I MEAN is not a dance, but an interesting theatre session that invites a follow-up.

KHA begins as a horizontal ballet. Seven dancers move across the stage like amphibious creatures in semi-darkness. The missing links eventually work their way up where they can already engage in speech and religion while standing. Finally, culture emerges in the form of folk dance. Albanian choreographer Gentian Doda shows a potential for choreographic richness.

Energy

With work by director/choreographer Ed Wubbe, the evening is complete. At Nico Codarts students stand their ground excellently and in Nagasaki the young male dancers are able to conquer the world with their energy. TWOOLS is a captivating grab bag of dance you will want to dig into again and again.

Afterparty: click left for BN'er

Don and Irene: wild shocksPetra and Soraya: homesicknessIsh: dance filmWendy and Erland: Not singingEuvgenia: SYTYCDJette: PinaEd: YoungJan: Spotlights

DJ Don: ' Usually I see people shaking wildly to my music. It's nice to see serious ballet to it now'. Presenter Irene: ' Don is also a bit my manager'.

Arabist and publicist Petra Stienen lets daughter Soraya speak. She gets homesick for Gentian Doda's KHA: 'I lived in the Arab world until I was five years old'. Petra: 'Bringing dance from here to countries in the Middle East is recommended'.

Ish Ait Hamou, So You Think You Can Dance judge: 'Respect for Jan for dancing again. I'm still dancing myself. A short dance film of mine will be released soon'.

Presenter and actress Wendy: 'Until I was 20, I danced, and performing was an adventure. When the musical came up, I stopped. I can't sing'. RTL programme director Erland: 'My mother often goes to watch dance. I less so lately, although I really like it.'

Juror So You Think You Can Dance Euvgenia" 'No unfortunately, I don't dance anymore. I still teach a lot though!'

Actress (GTST) Jette van der Meij: 'Because of my feet, I didn't make it as a dancer. I did do all kinds of dance at theatre school. I watch a lot of dance and have especially seen everything by Pina Bausch'.

Ed Wubbe, artistic director Scapino Ballet Rotterdam: 'We get a lot of young audiences to our performances'.

Jan, before the evening breaks loose, among the spotlights.