Zwitserland Reisweblog. Dag 1, door Joan Sol Madrid Riola

Schedule Travel day 1 | Dancers and technicians: travel to Switzerland

Hello everyone, I have the pleasure to start this Swissblog. On Thursday we arrived in Lucern and the sun gave us a very warm welcome. We walked around the pretty city and had a little bite alongside the river. (The photo of Karin, Gloria, Matteo, me and Nicole was taken in front of the famous wooden bridge.) During the evening we went to watch a performance of Lucern Dance Theater, which we enjoyed so much! We know a lot of dancers working here: as you see, dance world is so small, hahahhaah! We had a happy end of the day with a dinner all together, dancers of both companies enjoying "deze zwoele avond". Curious to see what the next day will bring us ;-)

Regards from Lucern,
Joan Sol Madrid Riola

Zwitsers landschap glijdt voorbij

Introdans Ensemble voor de Jeugd is voor de vierde keer te gast op STEPS, het internationale dansfestival van Zwitserland. Het ensemble kwam donderdagmiddag aan op het vliegveld van Zuerich en reisde vervolgens per touringcar naar het zonnige en prachtige Luzern. Vrijdagochtend is de technische crew begonnen met de technische voorbereidingen en 's avonds is de eerste voorstelling van het programma SPECIALSTEPS. Na Luzern vervolgt het gezelschap zijn weg naar Vevey, Bern, Basel, Zuerich en Zug.

Kijk voor meer informatie over STEPS festival op de website en volg het laatste nieuws via Facebook.



Chauffeur Jan arriveerde donderdagmiddag in Luzern met decor, kostuums, geluid en licht. De technici zijn vanaf vrijdagochtend druk in de weer geweest met het toneelklaar maken van de voorstelling...



...terwijl de dansers zich opwarmden in de foyer van het Luzerner Theater. Vanavond de Zwitserse premiere van SPECIALSTEPS!

Zuid-Afrika Reisweblog. Dag 4, door Femke Feddema

Schedule day 4 | Dancers: class and corrections by Robyn Ross + Performance | Ton Wiggers: Master class in University of Cape Town

Vandaag ben ik de dag iets later begonnen dan normaal want iets langer slapen na onze "première" gisteravond was nodig! De voorstelling is heel goed gegaan. Het publiek was erg enthousiast en het applaus aan het einde van de voorstelling was dan ook zo goed dat het me veel energie geeft om vanavond weer op toneel te staan. Buiten het feit dat we hier zijn om te werken, hebben we ook de tijd om de stad te verkennen. Tot nu toe is het ook erg mooi weer geweest dus daar geniet ik volop van! Dinsdag ben ik met een paar collega's met de auto langs de kust gereden en dat was zo ongelooflijk mooi! Ook ben ik naar robbeneiland geweest wat veel indruk op mij heeft gemaakt. Verder is het gewoon genieten van de mensen, het weer, het dansen in Baxter Theatre en de energie die de stad uitstraalt. Jammer om weer naar huis te gaan zondag maar stiekem hoop ik over 2 jaar weer terug te komen.

Zuid-Afrika Reisweblog. Dag 3, door Laura Cameron

Schedule day 3 | Dancers : Class by Robyn Ross + Run "Special SP!R!T" programme in costume. Press will attend | 1st performance

After three amazing days of traveling, rehearsing, visiting family and friends and exploring the coastline, today we had to really get back into work mode. We started the day with class and a run of the programme for press and for us to adapt to all the light and background changes. It is always good to help you find your balance, get back into really moving and get used the stage. I am writing this before returning to the theatre for our opening night performance and hoping that everything tonight will go well! As a native South-African, I'm very excited and nervous about performing for people who know me. Some people are flying up from Johannesburg especially to see me dance! My favourite piece of the SP!R!T programme is definitely ‘Bardo'. I love the raw energy and earthiness of the movement and although it can be quite tiring, the music and the group energy spur you on throughout. The movement feels natural to me and I love the costumes and lighting.

It has been such a wonderful time so far and we are hoping to give back something special to our South African audience!

Regards, Laura Cameron

Zuid-Afrika Reisweblog. Dag 2, door Ana Campos en Albert Garrell

Schedule day 2 | Dancers: 1/2 day off + Class by Robyn Ross and spacing "Special SP!R!T" with technicians | Technicians : set up in theatre

How much a day can mean...

Another sunrise christens the city; Paradise. We started the day going to the city center. Being surrounded by South African art, food, and culture, the local markets' welcomed us with open arms. The markets' lives were thriving with a labyrinth of African Culture. If there's one thing that should not be missed, its the feelings and emotions that the South African youth stirred within us, through their ability to hang onto their traditional culture and dances, despite the many trials and tribulations brought upon them. Their charm, charisma, and the smiles on their faces conquered our hearts. Such an experience can only be seen with your own eyes.

In the afternoon we started our first rehearsals. First we had our daily class led by repetitor Robyn Ross. We did our regular warming-up and practiced our techniques. Afterwards, we spend one hour of "spacing" the SP!R!T programme in the Baxter Theatre. During this hour we run the program and calculate the space we have on stage. Each theatre has different dimensions, so in order to perform well we need to do this. Also, our technical crew fine-tunes their light- and soundsettings.

Tomorrow, the first official performances will take place. We are really looking forward to it.

Regards, Ana Campos en Albert Garrell

Zuid-Afrika Reisweblog. Dag 1, door Juan Torres

Schedule day 1 | Dancers: day off | Technicians: set up in theatre



Well, finally after eleven hours of flying yesterday we made it to the bed&breakfast where we will stay during this tour in South-Africa

In my first day in Capetown, I woke up at 5.30h as I planned to go to the Aquila Safari with some others dancers. We got picked up at the hotel at 05.45hrs in the morning and we drove for two hours before we could get to the safari (as you can see was not very close). Once we got there we had a drink and a buffet breakfast. Later, finaly we would start the safari. It was great!!! We were in a jeep so close to all kind of wild animals that it was unbelievable. We saw giraffes, rhinos, buffalos, lions, cheatahs, leopards, crocodiles, ostrichs and a lot more to write them all down.

The safari last for 3 hours, and at the end we had lunch there, before we relax a bit in the sun next to a pool. Finally, at 14.00hrs we got pick up again, and went back to Capetown.
As you can see touring with introdans is great!!! Tomorrow we will start rehearsing and working. But someone else will explain you that, tomorrow.

Regards, Juan Torres
Dancer Introdans

Valse start tournee SA door inbraak

Zaterdagnacht is er ingebroken in de studio's van Introdans in Arnhem. Het gezelschap ontdekte de inbraak kort voor het vertrek naar Zuid-Afrika. Van de bagage die klaarstond zijn een techniekkoffer en drie (van de in totaal negentien) kostuumkoffers verdwenen. Deze zaken zijn essentieel voor de voorstellingen in Kaapstad. De crew is volgens schema vanaf Schiphol vertrokken en zal bij aankomst in Kaapstad met de nodige hand- en spandiensten oplossingen zoeken om de eerste voorstelling (woensdag a.s.) te kunnen uitvoeren.

Bekijk hier het verslag dat Omroep Gelderland maakte n.a.v. de inbraak.
Lees hier het artikel dat De Gelderlander schreef.

On Saturday night there was a break in at the Introdans studio’s in Arnhem. The company discovered the break in shortly before their departure to South Africa. Three (of the nineteen total) costume suitcases and a trunk with technical gear have disappeared. The items are essential to the performances in Cape Town. The crew left Schiphol Airport according to schedule and will get to work finding solutions so that they can hold the first performance (coming Wednesday) upon arrival in Cape Town.

Workshop Interactions SA-NL

With the benefit of the programme of Interactions SA-NL, Ton Wiggers (co-founder and general director of Introdans)will host a workshop. During a 90 minutes master class Ton Wiggers will demonstrate the Introdans style and will guide dancers to a modern dance idiom with the classical ballet technique as a starting point.

Target group: Senior students of the Dance department of the University of Cape Town, teachers and others
Local partner: Dance department of UCT
Contact: Sharon Friedman, sharon.friedman@uct.ac.za
Location and date: Dance department, 29 April 2010

Zwitserse jeugd wordt voorbereid op de komst van Introdans Ensemble voor de Jeugd.

Lees hier het artikel uit de Zwitserse media over hoe de lokale jeugd wordt voorbereid op de aanstaande tournee van Introdans Ensemble voor de Jeugd naar Zwitserland.

Set to thrill South African audiences

Introdans, one of the world’s top modern ballet companies, will once again visit Cape Town in April and May 2010 with a dynamic new offering.

published by Capetown Creatives

The company, directed by Roel Voorinholt, presents SP!R!T, a programme in which four great choreographers from four different continents give shape to energy and spirit. In Psalm by José Limón, (the American master choreographer and one of the founding fathers of modern dance), the audience is treated to true dance architecture. The mystical Bardo by the Japanese choreographer Toru Shimazaki is a ballet about life after death: a compelling work full of passion and dynamism. The South African choreographer Vincent Mantsoe has created a world première for Introdans with the powerful and youthful solo Lefa. Nacho Duato’s Rassemblement, set to music by Toto Bissainthe, transports the audience to a world of slavery and passion.

Since its inception in 1971, Introdans has become one of the top three dance companies in the Netherlands, continuously presenting high quality modern ballet performances with the themes Old masters, Contemporary partners, New talent. The company, under Roel Voorintholt’s Artistic Directorship, was founded in 1971 by Hans Focking and Ton Wiggers. Their Patron is H.R.H. Princess Margriet of The Netherlands. The company travels widely, both locally and internationally. It attracts a broad audience worldwide, with various world-renowned choreographers regularly creating ballets that uniquely combine both classical elements and modern techniques. The impressive Introdans repertoire also contains works by Hans van Manen, William Forsythe, Jirí Kylián, Paul Lightfoot & Sol León, Mats Ek and Inbal Pinto amongst others.

SP!R!T runs at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town from 28 April to 1 May. Tickets cost R75 to R120 via Computicket or 083 915 8000 and special offers are available for schools via sharon.friedman@uct.ac.za.

SA dancer on tour with Introdans

Laura Cameron, danseres bij Introdans, is geboren en getogen in Zuid-Afrika en keert hiermee terug naar haar thuisland. Lees hier het artikel in Biz community, dat haar ervaringen over de tournee naar Kaapstad weergeeft.

Facebook SA

Word lid van Introdans SA, de speciale groep op Facebook en volg het laatste lokale nieuws over de tournee naar Zuid-Afrika. Klik op de volgende link

Weblog Introdans geopend

Vanaf vandaag is de Introdans weblog geopend. Volg het gezelschap hier tijdens de internationale tournees naar Zuid-Afrika en Zwitserland