Hans van Manen, the master of Dutch dance, dies at 93

Hans van Manen, the towering figure of Dutch dance often dubbed as “the master of simplicity”, has died at the age of 93.

“Dance expresses dance, and nothing more,” he once said — a credo that defined a career spanning more than six decades. In 2000, his influence was recognised with the European Erasmus Prize, making him only the fifth Dutch recipient.

He created more than 125 ballets from the early 1970s onwards. His choreography was also quietly revolutionary: men and women appeared as equals on stage, breaking with the traditional hierarchy of classical ballet.

Born in 1932 in Nieuwer-Amstel, Van Manen did not grow up in an artistic household. After leaving school early during the war years, he found his way into the Amsterdam Stadsschouwburg theatre as a stagehand and hairdresser, absorbing the world of theatre and dance from close range.

He began formal dance training in the early 1950s and soon discovered that his true talent lay in choreography rather than performance.

He made his debut as a choreographer in 1955 and quickly rose to prominence, winning the State Prize for Choreography two years later.

Van Manen went on to lead both Nederlands Dans Theater and the Dutch National Ballet, enjoying his greatest success in the 1970s and 1980s, when his serene, neoclassical style reached full maturity.

Works such as Adagio Hammerklavier and Sarcasmen are regarded as milestones of modern ballet.