Weird but wonderful world of NDT
Nederlands Dans Theater (Edinburgh Playhouse) Weird but wonderful
TRADITIONAL versus contemporary is an argument almost as old as art itself.
Both have their champions; at this year’s Edinburgh International Festival, the winner depends on whether your preference is opera or dance.
As far as opera is concerned, traditional is in the ascendant. With dance, cutting edge contemporary is very much the order of the day. And if this is to be de rigueur, then it might as well be the best there is.
Nederlands Dans Theater, or NDT, is one of the glories of the contemporary dance world and its triple bill at the Playhouse showed why.
Shoot the Moon revolves around the love lives of three couples, the set turning through different rooms as their relationships are dissected.
The one constant is an ever-open door. But does it lead to the future? Or to the past?
Stop-Motion is also concerned with times past or to come, featuring seven ghostly dancers in white. This otherworldly impression is enhanced around halfway through, when clouds of chalk dust envelop the dancers, creating a series of stunning visual images.
The third piece, The Missing Door, is strange and disturbing, seemingly following the last thoughts of a dying man. Like something out of a surreal nightmare, it features dead bodies, inanimate objects coming to life and even the decapitation of a woman. Is it a simple crime scene? Or the confessions of a dying soul?
The pieces may have been a bit odd, but the dancing was excellent and this triple bill encapsulated the entire spirit of NDT. It was certainly weird, but rather wonderful.