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#39: Jaap Flier appointed as Artistic Director (1972)

published

15 November 2019

Nederlands Dans Theater founding Company member Jaap Flier first travelled to Australia in 1972, with his wife Willy de la Bije. They toured an ambitious program representative of the contemporary theatre’s repertoire, the likes of which had never before been seen in Australia. Flier would eventually be appointed director of The Dance Company (NSW), initiating outstanding remounts of some of Nederlands Dans Theater’s most pioneering works.

Under Flier’s leadership, the technical standards of Company dancers greatly improved through the implementation of an inspiring training program. The Dutchman introduced some of the world’s most influential choreographers to the work of the Company and, in turn, nurtured the choreographic development of some of the country’s most promising local artists, including Graeme Watson, Jacqui Carroll, Ian Spink, Nanette Hassall and Russell Dumas.

Flier’s tenure as director was impactful but brief, with his decision to return to Europe seeing him depart from the company two years later.

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