In 1968, John Cranko engaged the young Czech dancer Jiří Kylián as a member of the Stuttgart Ballet. Encouraged by Cranko, Kylián created his first choreographies in the Swabian metropolis. Since then, he has conquered and shaped the dance world with his unique style. Movements far from the classical ballet idiom, strong images and deep emotions characterize his works. Kylián explores what it means to be human and takes us to distant worlds that resonate within.
"How can an individual survive in a group of other individuals?" wondered Jiří Kylián when he created One of a Kind, commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of the Interior for the 150th anniversary of the country's constitution. Inspired by the constitutional document, he choreographed an elegant Gesamtkunstwerk. The female protagonist moves from the auditorium onto the stage where she is torn between the desire for togetherness and self-realization. She struggles, is humbled, deals with herself and those around her with dignity, at times in harmony with her surroundings, at times in conflict. In solos, pas de deux and group scenes, surreal images emerge that let the viewer reflect on and dream of a world in which everyone is treated as equally as they are uniquely.
The sets by Japanese architect Atsushi Kitagawara create a breathtaking futuristic landscape on stage. As unique as the individuals in the piece is the musical collage of works by Brett Dean, John Cage and Benjamin Britten, among others, birdsong and African tribal rhythms.
"How can an individual survive in a group of other individuals?" wondered Jiří Kylián when he created One of a Kind, commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of the Interior for the 150th anniversary of the country's constitution. Inspired by the constitutional document, he choreographed an elegant Gesamtkunstwerk. The female protagonist moves from the auditorium onto the stage where she is torn between the desire for togetherness and self-realization. She struggles, is humbled, deals with herself and those around her with dignity, at times in harmony with her surroundings, at times in conflict. In solos, pas de deux and group scenes, surreal images emerge that let the viewer reflect on and dream of a world in which everyone is treated as equally as they are uniquely.
The sets by Japanese architect Atsushi Kitagawara create a breathtaking futuristic landscape on stage. As unique as the individuals in the piece is the musical collage of works by Brett Dean, John Cage and Benjamin Britten, among others, birdsong and African tribal rhythms.
