School performances

Ever since it was founded in 1961, the International Dance Theatre has regarded it as one of its most important tasks to develop educational activities and to introduce as many young people as possible to world dance. The company puts on school performances at all kinds of venues such as school halls, gymnasia and cultural centres. These activities enable the International Dance Theatre to reach out to young people throughout the Netherlands.

The dancers of the International Dance Theatre come from many different countries. They communicate with their young audiences through the universal medium of dance. The performances are based on dance material from all corners of the globe and are designed to appeal to audiences from the age of 8 years, giving the young spectators an impression of the rich cultural (and dance) heritage of different peoples in an easily accessible way that is tailored to their own knowledge of the world. For many of the children concerned, a performance by the International Dance Theatre is their first introduction to the world of the theatre in general and of dance in particular.

Practical information about school performances
The school performances can be given at various venues as long as certain technical requirements are met. These requirements are summarised in the technical rider of each of the performances.

Teachers can obtain free lesson briefings (currently available in Dutch only), which can be used as a basis for classroom discussions before and after the performances. To obtain these briefings, click on ‘Education' and then on ‘Lesson briefing login', and follow the instructions. It is also possible to book an introductory dance workshop organised by the Dance in School foundation before viewing a youth performance. For further details, click on ‘Dance in School' on the Education page of the website.

School performances during the 2011/2012 season
The International Dance Theatre presents two youth performances in the 2011/2012 season: Met Handen en Voeten (With Hands and Feet), aimed at children aged 8+; and SubWays, which targets secondary school audiences and young adults. For further details, click on 'Performances' on the home page of the website.