Revival of NDT 3

Presentation

NDT 3 is the revival of Nederlands Dans Theater’s internationally acclaimed company for 40+ dancers, originally founded by Jiří Kylián in 1991. At the time, NDT was the first dance company to establish a senior company as a structural part of its artistic identity. From the 1990s until 2006, NDT 3 challenged conventional age norms in dance and demonstrated that maturity brings depth, nuance and a distinctive artistic voice to the stage. Although the company could not be sustained financially at the time, its legacy continues to resonate strongly.
With this revival, NDT reimagines NDT 3 as a project-based company, allowing dedicated opportunities for mature dancers without the financial vulnerability of maintaining a permanent ensemble. Each project can be developed, financed and realised on its own terms.
The project has four central objectives: to revive an important part of NDT’s artistic heritage; to place the experienced voice of mature performers at the centre of new choreographic creation; to make a clear statement about the value of older dancers within the professional dance sector; and to support career sustainability through high-level artistic opportunities later in dancers’ careers.
NDT 3 also introduces the idea of re-emerging artists: mature dancers who return to the stage, reconnect with their performing practice and continue developing their artistry at the highest level. Few institutions are able to realise this idea at comparable scale, with the same artistic heritage, choreographic calibre, production capacity and international reach
The company will bring together ± 11 dancers, selected from both NDT alumni and non-alumni with established careers in contemporary dance. Premiering in the Netherlands in December 2028, the programme will include world premieres by Gabriela Carrizo, Crystal Pite and Marcos Morau, alongside an existing work by Jiří Kylián. The project will also include a travelling exhibition exploring the history and impact of NDT 3

Artistic Team

The artistic team of NDT 3 brings together internationally recognised choreographers and established mature performers with strong artistic identities and deep experience in contemporary dance. Gabriela Carrizo is an Argentinian choreographer, performer and co-founder of Peeping Tom. Her work is known for its theatrical language, where dance, theatre, psychological tension and cinematic atmosphere meet. She has previously created work for NDT and brings a powerful sense of character, memory and transformation to the project. Crystal Pite is a Canadian choreographer and founder of Kidd Pivot. Since her choreographic debut in 1990, she has created more than fifty works for major companies worldwide. An NDT Associate Choreographer since 2008, she is internationally recognised for her precision, emotional force and ability to address complex human themes through movement. Marcos Morau is a Spanish choreographer, director and founder of La Veronal. Trained in photography, movement and theatre, he has developed a distinctive choreographic language combining abstract movement, physical theatre and powerful visual imagery. He is the youngest recipient of Spain’s National Dance Award and an NDT Associate Choreographer. Jiří Kylián is one of the defining figures in NDT’s history. Born in Czechoslovakia, he became artistic director of NDT in 1975 and led the company until 1999. He founded NDT 3 in 1991 as a pioneering platform for dancers over 40. The performers will be selected from NDT alumni and non-alumni with established careers in contemporary dance. They are chosen for their artistic depth, technical history, individuality and ability to embody the project’s central idea of re-emergence. Names and individual casting details are currently under embargo and should not be published before confirmation by NDT.

Co-producing Partners