The thirteenth edition of the Holland Dance Festival, ´Source of Inspiration´, which took place in dance city The Hague from 26 January to 26 February, ended with a successful final weekend of sold-out performances by Conny Janssen Danst and Emio Greco. Over the past month, Holland Dance Festival has presented a sample sheet of international and Dutch dance, ranging from top ‘acts’ like Sylvie Guillem and Streb Extreme Action Company to exciting newcomers from Brazil and Cuba. The fact that the demand for dance has stayed relatively stable despite the economic downturn is proved by the 19,000 visitors who made their way to the theatres. Houses were filled to an average capacity of 74% for 56 performances, and the 20 sold-out performances had long waiting lists for returned tickets. The absolute smash hit of the festival was undoubtedly the performance by Jacoby&Pronk, in which former Dutch National Ballet dancer Rubinald Pronk returned to his hometown, The Hague.

Wednesday 22 February Talent On The Move will start their tour in the Posthuis Theater, Heerenveen. As an initiative of Holland Dance, the new talents of the Rotterdam dance academy are touring the country with the program Talent On The Move.

Today, Saturday February 18 you can expect some dancers of Club Movers 'n Shakers between 16:00 hours and 17:00 hours on the Grote Markt, Het Plein and at the intersection of the Bonneterie and Passage in The Hague. They show you a preview of the moves from the club event on Saturday 25 February.

There are still places available for the masterclass of Duda Paiva in the Korzo theater and of DanzAbierta in the Theater aan het Spui. You can follow these masterclasses today, Saturday February 18 and both will start at 14:00 hours.

The Hague City Hall functioned last weekend as a dance arena for spectacular action representation Forces.

Tickets for the performance of STREB on Sunday 12 February 20.00 hours are still available.

The extra masterclass is no longer available.

STREB is in The Hague. The Atrium, The Hague City Hall, will be transformed into a stage on which the dancers can perform on 10,11 & 12 February. Do you want to know more about Elizabeth Streb and her company? Read the interview.

This is your chance if you can't get enough of Tim Persent and Sylvie Guillem.

On February 5th, 2012 the Filmhuis The Hague connects to the Holland Dance Festival with the documentary 'A good Man'.

The Ine Rietstap Lecture is canceled.

On Thursday, February 2 there is an afterparty at the festivalcafe which starts at 22.00 hours, after the show Body Against Body from Bill T. Jones/ Arnie Zane Dance Company afterparty. The Rotterdam based DJ duo Body II Body runs  pumping dance tracks in the festival café Korzo. Be there! 

On Tuesday 31 January 2012, Samuel Wuersten, artistic director of Holland Dance and member of the Board of Directors of Codarts, will be admitted to the French Order of Arts and Letters and given the title Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres. Wuersten is being honoured for his great achievements in the development of dance in general and in the promotion of French contemporary dance in the Netherlands. “Samuel Wuersten has a dynamic personality and has been instrumental in stimulating French programming in the Netherlands”. The admission to the French order is the second honour he has received in less than a year, as he was recently knighted in the Order of Oranje-Nassau.

The Holland Dance Festival’s festive ‘Source of Inspiration’ gala is the occasion of the fourth presentation of the Jiří Kylián Ring. In 2010, the ring was received by lighting designer Ellen Knops, who will now be passing on the prestigious award to someone who has made a significant and inspiring contribution to dance in the Netherlands.

Are you a dancer who wants to learn new techniques, explore dance styles and spark your creativity? Then sign up for one of the masterclasses given by one of the dance companies that can be seen at the upcoming Holland Dance Festival. From Bill T. Jones, Drew Jacoby, Balletboyz to Barak Marshall, a great opportunity to get to know the dancers of the companies and  the different styles.

At the Holland Dance website you can now have a look at the festival magazine full of interesting interviews and columns. Would you like to receive a copy at home just mail us at info@holland-dance.com
We will send you the magazine free of charge. 

Don’t Hit Mama is bringing the funky club dance culture of the United States to the Holland Dance Festival in 2012. The driving force behind the group is the artistic power of theatre maker Nita Liem. Years ago, the New York underground club scene inspired Liem to develop her own variation on the club event. In every town she performs with her dancers, she looks for fresh local dance talent and adds it to her team of urban and hiphop dancers. In The Hague, the group will be reinforced by Club Movers ’n Shakers. Together, they will present an energetic mix of dance acts and theatre in a night-club atmosphere. The dancers’ enthusiasm is so infectious that the audience is drawn into the performance in next to no time.

The projections of Slow Dancing are cancelled for tonight because of the expected weather conditions. We hope that the weather will improve tomorrow and that we can continue Slow Dancing. We apologize for any inconvenience.

View the photos of the opening of Slow Dancing with the premiere of the Dutch portraits in Slow Dancing.

See what Holland Dance will present in the new season. We have a special offer if you order before 4 September.

On Friday 29 April, Samuel Wuersten, Artistic Director of Holland Dance and Member of the Executive Board of Codarts Rotterdam, University for the Arts, received a knighthood in the order of Orange-Nassau Wuersten was honoured with this knighthood for his exceptional achievements in promoting the development of Dutch dance at home and abroad. The organisations of Holland Dance and Codarts Rotterdam are pleased that so many colleagues in the field have contributed their efforts to make this distinction possible.