Dans Magazine spoke with choreographer Dalton Jansen and dancer Pedro Ricardo Henry after the first rehearsals of NEXT #2 in December. A conversation about endurance, identity, and the power of movement. Read the full interview below and discover how this new production comes to life. This article was previously published in Dans Magazine in February 2025 (Edition 1), written by Joost Groeneboer.
‘Hi Pedro, we’re just waiting for Dalton for a moment. But haven’t we met before?’
Pedro: ‘Yes, we have! At the Bevrijdingsdans Festival in Amsterdam a few years ago, and more recently in the mirror tent at the Nederlandse Dansdagen in Maastricht.’
Now I remember! You really stole the show there. Ah, here comes Dalton. Hey Dalton, we were just about to start. Pedro was telling me that you’ve been busy rehearsing. What have you worked on during the first week?
Dalton: ‘Good question. We’ve now worked together for a week. I’m not having them do solos or duets just yet. We started by getting to know each other. We’ve mainly focused on who I am, where I come from, and what my identity as a choreographer is. A lot of what I do comes from krump, which is rooted in hip-hop. My dance language is grounded in the African diaspora, and endurance is a key part of that. So the main question was: how can I pass my dance language on to the dancers and push them to feel how much stamina they need to perform my phrases? Because they really take a lot of energy.’
How was that for you, Pedro?
Pedro: ‘For me it’s the first time working with Dalton. It’s all still new. During the rehearsals I felt a lot of emotion and power. For the dancers it’s a challenge, because it’s a new way of moving. Of feeling free in movement. What’s good is that a sense of connection was created within the group. A community. That gave me a lot of inspiration and energy. You know that there are seven of you, but when you’re dancing you feel like one. I love Dalton’s approach. His self-confidence and the purity with which he showed himself to us. It’s important that he creates a safe environment for the dancers. When you feel safe, you give more. Dalton pushed us to the limit the first week. It was like we were warriors. That you have to fight, that you only have one chance in life. Some people have more, but you only have one. I love that feeling. Let me dance until I drop, dancing until you die!’
Dalton: ‘The first week was tough, it was really pushing, pushing and pushing and giving phrases and phrases. I think they were pretty much done with it on the last day, their whole bodies were aching. But it worked well, I think. I wanted to give them a bit of an idea of how we’re going to work after the holidays. First we’re going to focus on finding new perspectives on what we can do with our bodies. Then I’m going to look at how we can bring our dance languages together, make a good mix of them. And then I’m going to focus on what I want with this performance. Where are we going?’
Dalton pushed us to the limit in the first week. It felt like we were warriors. Like you have to fight, like you only get one chance in life. Some people get more, but you only have one. I love that feeling. Let me dance until I drop—dancing until you die! Pedro Ricardo Henry
Where do you want to go with this? Do you already have an idea of what your new piece will be about, or do you discover that during the rehearsal process?
Dalton: ‘Conny Janssen asked me – more than a year ago – to create a 40-minute choreography that can be performed anywhere. A piece that is light and fresh, without a heavy theme. Because my dance language is quite intense, grounded, and dense. I love Conny’s challenge, but at the end of the day, I create what I want to create. On the other hand, I think it’s good for me to step away from working with a specific theme for once. To create a truly powerful dance piece, purely driven by physicality. I want to make something that feels like a step forward for me as a choreographer. I have seven fantastic dancers from Conny Janssen Danst at my disposal. Normally, they’re used to me bringing in a social or political topic—bla bla bla—but this time, we’re making what’s in my head. What I envision are butterflies of great dancing bodies—fluttering, breathtaking movements, like stunningly dancing butterflies.’
I want to create a piece with Conny Janssen Danst that feels like a true step forward for me as a choreographer. A powerful dance work driven purely by physicality. Dalton Jansen
What kind of dancer are you, Pedro?
Pedro: ‘I’m a contemporary dancer—but not purely. I graduated in 2010 from the ENA (Escuela Nacional de Arte) in Havana, specializing in Modern and Folkloric Dance. My roots are in Afro-Cuban folklore, and that me inspires in everything I do. I come from a small town in Cuba, from Guaro. That’s important for me to say. I was born in Cuba, but 55% of my blood is Nigerian. A lot of the pain and anger I sometimes feel while dancing comes from the history of slavery. I strongly believe in the connection to ancestors—the feeling that everything comes from within.’
Dalton: ‘Pedro is from Cuba, and I’m from Curaçao. He has a Caribbean flavor when he dances, and I’m blending that with hip-hop and krump. (Turning to Pedro) I can really feel the African rhythm in you. The fluid movements of your back. That flowy quality is so important in dance, and I recognize it in my own culture as well.’
NEXT #2 will appear in unexpected locations across Rotterdam and Schiedam. The premiere takes place on February 28 at WORM, followed by performances at HUIS Conny Janssen Danst, the Grote- or Sint Janskerk in Schiedam, and more.