Introdans makes its U.S. premiere at The Joyce this week with Heavenly, a retrospective journey that includes three works showcasing the Dutch-based modern ballet company’s eclectic and exciting repertory.

The New York Times‘ Rebecca Milzoff interviewed Artistic Director Roel Voorintholt and founder Ton Wiggers for this article about the company’s history and journey to The Joyce. And excerpt follows:

“In the last three decades the two, and Introdans itself, have gone through enormous changes, public and private, and Mr. Wiggers and Mr. Voorintholt have been uncommonly open about both.

Now, 40 years after Introdans’s founding and after extensive international touring, it will make its first United States appearance at the Joyce Theater on Tuesday, the start of a six-day run.

As Mr. Wiggers explained recently in a telephone interview from the company’s offices in Arnhem, he created Introdans to address an absence of dance in his part of the country. “We had the Dutch National Ballet, and they came to Arnhem once, maybe twice a year,” he said. “Of course there was an audience for those performances, so I thought, ‘Well, if there’s an audience for it, why aren’t we seeking for more dance here?’ ”

He started Introdans with a handful of friends who met in his living room. Though a small city, Arnhem was already on the cultural map because of the renowned Kröller-Müller Museum, with its sculpture garden and collection of van Gogh and modern masters.”

Read the full article here. Introdans will be at The Joyce May 1-6. Purchase tickets now.