Amsterdam (Rough Guide) - Martin Dunford [139]
DasArts Mauritskade 56 (Old Jewish Quarter and Eastern docklands) 020/586 9636, www.dasarts.nl. Situated east of the centre, beyond Artis Zoo, this is less of a venue than a global clubhouse for theatre-makers, a think-tank and postgraduate institute, with international workshops and performances.
Felix Meritis Keizersgracht 324 (Grachtengordel south) 020/626 2321, www.felix.meritis.nl. Unique, restored eighteenth-century centre for arts and sciences. Hosts theatre, debate, music and visual arts events, and features a foyer bar and café that’s open 9am–7pm during the week and at weekends if there’s an event.
De Nieuw Amsterdam Grote Bickersstraat 2 (Jordaan and Western docklands) 020/627 8672, www.denieuwamsterdam.nl. Theatre company with a multicultural background and a focus on non-Western productions.
Entertainment and nightlife |
Dance
Of the major dance companies based in Amsterdam, the largest and most prestigious is the Muziektheater’s Dutch National Ballet, under Ted Brandsen. For fans of folk dancing, the excellent Internationaal Danstheater is based in the city.
Among the most innovative of the other leading Dutch dance companies that tour Amsterdam – or visit nearby Rotterdam and The Hague – is The Hague’s Netherlands Dance Theatre, with a repertoire of ballet and modern dance featuring inspired choreography by Jirí Kylian and artistic director Jim Vincent. The oldest company in the country, the Scapino Ballet (based in Rotterdam), has spruced up its image under artistic director Ed Wubbe and is gathering a new generation of admirers.
Amsterdam is particularly receptive to the latest trends in modern dance, and has many experimental dance groups; small productions staged by dance students also abound. Look out for performances by the Dans Werkplaats Amsterdam, as well as mime specialists Griftheater and Shusaku Takeuchi’s vast, open-air, water-based extravaganzas. Modern dance and movement theatre companies from outside Amsterdam who often perform in the city include the Dance Works Rotterdamse and Introdans, similar in style to the Netherlands Dance Theatre.
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Dance festivals
Dance festivals are a little thin on the ground: Julidans (www.julidans.nl), held in theatres around the Leidseplein area every July, is the leading event in the city; beyond, there’s Dansweek (www.dansweek.nl), an event held throughout the Netherlands in October. The Hague – just a 45-minute train ride from Centraal Station – hosts two dance festivals: the Holland Dance Festival (www.hollanddancefestival.com), which takes place every two years (Oct 2009 & 2011) and attracts many leading international companies; and the biennial CaDance (www.cadance.nl; next festival in Oct/Nov 2010), which premieres contemporary dance works.
Entertainment and nightlife | Dance festivals |
Venues
Dans Werkplaats Amsterdam Arie Biemondstraat 107b (Jordaan and Western docklands) 020/689 1789, www.danswerkplaats.nl. A dance company staging productions by young, up-and-coming choreographers.
Internationaal Danstheater Kloveniersburgwal 87 (Old Centre) 020/623 9112, www.intdanstheater.nl. Original folk dancing from around the world, featuring international choreographers.
Melkweg See "Clubs" for more. Upstairs in this pop and world music venue, there’s a little theatre which puts on modern productions.
Muziektheater . Home of the National Ballet, but with a third of its dance schedule given over to international companies.
Stadsschouwburg See "Stadsschouwburg". This theatre is the principal host to the Julidans dance festival in July, and also stages regular productions.
Entertainment and nightlife |
Film
Most of Amsterdam’s commercial cinemas are huge multiplex affairs showing a selection of general releases. There’s also a scattering of film houses (filmhuizen) showing revival and art-house films and occasional retrospectives. Two Amsterdam cinemas worth a visit no matter what’s showing are the extravagant Art Deco Tuschinski and the atmospheric The Movies.
Pick up a copy of the weekly Film Agenda from any cinema