In this 'film duet' you will see, besides Baby don’t hurt me by Imre and Marne van Opstal, Mist by Damien Jalet. Mist was Jalet's debut creation for NDT 1 and was canceled due to the corona crisis. Therefore, the choreography is beautifully filmed by Rahi Rezvani.
 
Baby don't hurt me – Imre van Opstal and Marne van Opstal
The in Limburg born brother and sister Marne and Imre van Opstal are among the most exciting and sought-after new dance choreographers in the world. With roots in a family of dancers, they started their professional career at Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT). Both of them were active as top dancers until 2020, after that they decided to fully focused on choreography and creating cutting edge, contemporary dance performances. Their works explore identity, sexuality, gender, love and what this means in our contemporary world. Take Root, an NDT 1 production, was nominated in 2019 for a Swan for best dance production.

In 2021 they created Baby don't hurt me for NDT 1. This work originated from authentic attempts by each dancer to tell an intimate story. Baby don't hurt me explores how their personal experiences and perspectives become part of their role as dancers. Themes such as identity, sexuality, love and gender are truthfully explored and shaped.

But with an intimate question as a starting point, how can we express something that concerns us all? Can the personal become universal?

When you put your heart on your sleeve, you run the risk of being painfully condemned or misunderstood. This vulnerability is one of those things we all have in common.

How much can we share?
What is love?
 
Mist – Damien Jalet
Mist is a multidisciplinary dance film by the French-Belgian choreographer Damien Jalet (1976) filmed by Rahi Rezvani, inspired by the fog banks often found in the Dutch landscape. The constant presence of wind and sea and the fact that a large part of the Netherlands is below sea level served as the main sources of inspiration for the maker.

Mist marks the third collaboration between Jalet and Japanese visual artist Kohei Nawa, following their internationally acclaimed piece VESSEL and PLANET (wanderer). The work explores the ephemeral space between reality and mirage, and a physicality that recalls the dynamics of evaporating, condensing and falling water. For this creation, Jalet is also collaborating with choreographer Aimilios Arapoglou, composer Fennesz, lighting designer Urs Schonebaum, costume designer Sruli Recht and photographer and video maker Rahi Rezvani.