Dawson

The ties between Dutch National Ballet and Associate Artist David Dawson date back to 1995, when he joined the company as a dancer. Soon after that, however, the British dancer developed into one of the most interesting and innovative choreographers of his generation. In his complex works, which are always inspired by human emotion, he asks for total commitment from his dancers, in order to transport both them and the audience to a different, poetic, yet virtuoso reality. 

Standing ovations 

This also applies to The Four Seasons, set to Max Richter’s atmospheric reinterpretation of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, which was received with standing ovations at its Dutch premiere in June 2021. In this large-scale, incredibly athletic ballet for sixteen dancers, Dawson explores the cycles of life. The result is a continually changing spectacle of form, colour and light, in which he bridges the gap between past, present and future. 

World premiere of Legacy Variations

Besides reviving The Four Seasons, David Dawson is also creating a new ballet for three male dancers for this programme. With Legacy Variations, Dawson has created a homage to the company that has been his home for 27 years: Dutch National Ballet. He made the work for dancers James Stout, Edo Wijnen and Joseph Massarelli, with whom he has been working since the day each of them joined the company. In this very personal ballet, set to a new commissioned work by composer Alex Baranowski, Dawson and his dancers reflect on their journey together.