Talent development new buzzword in dance world: 3 encouraging initiatives

The fact that it is difficult to get a job after graduation is also well known in the dance world. Therefore, partly at the government's insistence, companies are putting in on talent development. They also hope to A better connection with schools. Jun dancers are now more likely to be on the front line of ballet: the theatre, and that is good news for audiences. Because the energy is fresh and the level has shot up considerably.

Whether a better connection from school to company will really solve all the problems remains to be seen. Ultimately, there are only a few places to give away at companies, and for those companies that are allowed to stay, countless quality dancers from abroad are applying. Still, this month sees performances by three encouraging new initiatives.

Young Talent Performance: school steps out

The Dance Department of the Royal Conservatoire presents, following the example of that other talent developer Codarts, for the first time a performance at a venue outside its own building. On paper, the joining of forces between the dance department, Nederlands Dans Theater and dance laboratory Korzo Theatre looks like an interesting project. The result on stage is impressive: even 15-year-olds perform complicated choreography with serious undertones effortlessly. Pretty tricky.

Not only the dance technique, but also the partner work is literally and figuratively at a high level. Moreover, renowned choreographers have worked on the way the dancers present themselves to the audience. You scratch your head about the enormous development of dancers in recent decades. Artistic director Paul Lightfoot explained in a chat beforehand that he can make much higher demands when hiring dancers than in the past.

I spoke to a good-humoured former NDT director Jiří Kylián afterwards about the springboard for talent that NDT once started. The choreographer mentioned another aspect of talent development. Over the years, 20 former NDT dancers worldwide have become artistic directors. He is proud that two of his 'youngsters' are now directors of the dance department (Nancy Euverink) and NDT (Lightfoot) respectively.

The Dutch Junior Dance Division: entrepreneurship

The Dutch Junior Dance Division offers young dancers extra guidance towards employment and produces performances. In the relatively new Maitland Theatre from the Hook showcases parent company The Dutch Don't Dance Division seven talented young dancers.

Dancing Lane refers to the driveway on estate de Horst in Driebergen. The performance itself is also a kind of avenue along which you get all kinds of impressions of dance. The Aristo quartet plays delicate music to characteristic dance by choreographers Thom Stuart and Rinus Sprong: a vocabulary of fine ballet movements, inventive twists, angular mime and a touch of humour. In addition, back-in-time solo Lamentations by Martha Graham stand out for their simplicity and eloquence. The primal classical trio from Coppélia is a tribute to the ex-Scapino choreographer who died this year Armando Navarro.

Interesting that where usually at the Baak, centre for leadership and entrepreneurship, captains of industry brainstorming over dinner on the theatre floor, now qualitative dance is being brought. A beautiful combination of talent development and cultural entrepreneurship.

Junior Company: promising

Classical ballet on location shows there is room for a travelling ballet collective. Let that be just around the corner: the premiere of the Junior Company, the talent development project of the Dutch National Ballet and the National Ballet Academy. From the Junior Company, the Dutch National Ballet can recruit talent for its own ranks. A trailer shows 12 promising dancers in advance.

Keep talent development on the agenda

In a few years' time, we will take stock of investments in talent development, participation, education and cultural entrepreneurship. Keywords that should now be on the agenda of every company and academy. It is to be hoped that the initiatives will not lead to more companies being disbanded later. To the recession won't be, which is officially over today.