Stages of a Theatre, film (2022) 

Dear friends –

The demolition of our theatre has started already in 2015 and 
its full destruction was completed in March 2022. Surprising 
is that although it was the very first building, Rem Koolhaas 
(today one of the most influential architects) ever built, there 
was and is no mention about its disappearance anywhere.

Therefore we have decided to make a document about this 
extraordinary building. We organized a meeting between 
Rem and myself on our old stage, to recall the circumstances 
around its birth, life and death. Rem and I haven't met since 
1987, the year the theatre was opened, so there was plenty of 
"ammunition" for a substantial talk. The disappearance of this 
building seems to me quite symbolic because it was the first 
major theatre in the world built specifically for dance. Many of 
you have visited it or even performed in it, but many are not 
really aware of what it represented. 

Here is a brief overview:

It was built in 1987 by architect Rem Koolhaas. Carel Birnie, 
the administrative director of the Nederlands Dans Theater, 
was the major driving force behind it.

It was largely financed by NDT's own money and after its 
completion it became the home to our three ensembles:

* NDT I   - a company for dancers between 22 and 40 years of age
* NDT II  - a junior company for young dancers just out of school
* NDT III - a small group of dancers between 40 and death...

Holland Dance Festival was also born in this house and is still alive
and kicking. Its stage became a host to a great number of dance 
companies and opera ensembles. Many premieres by internationally 
respected choreographers took place there. Let me mention at least 
a few: Hans van Manen, Nacho Duato, Paul Lightfoot and Sol Leon, 
William Forsythe, Mats Ek, Johan Inger, Maurice Béjart, Alexander
Ekman, Martha Clarke, Robert Wilson, Ohad Naharin, Marco Goecke, 
Crystal Pite and many others - I apologize for mentioning only a few.

I could easily continue for a considerable time mentioning interesting 
events and special occasions this house experienced in its very 
colorful life span of 34 years. Having spent much of my professional 
life in this theatre I felt the need to make a document capturing at 
least some of the aspects of its most exciting history.

                                   Jiří Kylián - The Hague, May 20, 2022