Scapino’s debut

After the war, twelve dancers are putting on their pointe shoes again. Led by the colourful Hans Snoek, they perform for pupils of the Dongeschool in Amsterdam. The dancers decide to set up a dance company when they receive so much praise for their work. This dance company is called Scapino and is aimed at children. Its first performance is held in the Royal Theatre of Carré in Amsterdam with a series of free morning shows sponsored by Dutch newspaper Het Parool.

The Paper Shortage Ballet

After the war, there is a major shortage of paper. A fundraiser in which children pick up used paper, becomes the source of inspiration for Scapino’s new show: The Paper Shortage Ballet (Het Papierennoodballet). The children who collected a lot of papier in the fundraiser are invited to see the show for free.

The first steps abroad

In the summer of 1947, Scapino performs abroad for the first time. The fairytale-like performance The Pasha and the Bear (De Pasja and de Beer) is on stage at an international children’s festival in Prague. It will be put on stage again many times from then on.

5 years of Scapino!

Scapino celebrates its fifth anniversary. The ballet company is very successful, which means: 100,000 children enjoyed the performances, loved the fairytales and were introduced to ballet in this way. Less successful is the fact that the dancers barely made an income from their work. They are driven by idealism: making beautiful shows for young people.

Once upon a time...

The show Once upon a time…(Er was eens…) premiers in the former City Theater in Amsterdam with Alex Faassen jr. as the iconic Scapino character. No less than 1,700 children join the show. The author of this ballet fairytale is Hans Snoek and the choreographer is Albert Mol.

The Princess and the Pea

The performance The Princess and the Pea (Prinses op de Erwt) is put on stage. Dutch poet Bert Voeten writes the script. Jan Rebel takes care of the choreography. The decors are made by Hermanus Berserik. The dance performance is based on a small story, but it is met with major interest. It attracts big crowds – also at the Lincoln Centre in the US.  

Scapino is rescued!

Schoolchildren start collecting money for Scapino which is heavily damaged by the fire. Together with the revenues from a lottery and the support from the municipality of Amsterdam and the Dutch government Scapino survives the financial catastrophe. We use the money to give two of our most famous ballets a new look.

10 years of Scapino!

Reason to celebrate: Scapino’s tenth anniversary! An anniversary show is performed in Royal Theatre Carré in Amsterdam. Well-known Dutch children’s writer Annie M.G. Schmidt creates a song for this special occasion.

Hans van Maanen creates Swing

The famous Dutch choreographer Hans van Manen (1932) created various ballets for Scapino. One of his first works is Swing, which is part of the performance Danced Portaits (Gedanste Portretten) combining the work of six choreographers.

Story contest

Participation of the audience avant la lettre: Scapino asks children to come up with a story for a dance performance. Many children are excited to take part. Henk Dragstra wins with his fairytale The Miraculous Flute (De Wonderfluit), to which Hans Snoek and Jan Rebel create the choreography.

Alice in Wonderland

The production of Alice in Wonderland premiers in this season. The audience is deeply impressed by the choreography of the English dancer Richard Glasstone as well as the stage design and styling by Ronald Wilson and Ruth Hellmer.

Challenges and Obstacles

The musical film Westside Story is shown in cinemas around the world and it is a real success. The film also influences the world of ballet: jazz dance becomes popular. Scapino is inspired – resulting in the ballet Challenges and Obstacles (Haken en Ogen) by choreographer Greetje Donkers.

The Golden Key

At the end of November, Scapino has two premieres: The Little Girl with the Matchsticks (Het meisje met de zwavelstokjes) and The Golden Key (De Gouden Sleutel). These two ballets by choreographers Richard Glasstone and Jan Rebel are commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Arts and Sciences.

20 years of Scapino!

On 7 October 1965 Scapino celebrates its twentieth anniversary. The by now classic Scapino fairytale The Pasha and the Bear (De Pasja en de Beer) is performed in Amsterdam’s City Theater. Scapino looks back on twenty eventful years in which a lot has been achieved. Despite all kinds of setbacks Scapino continuous to grow and flourish.

Van den Busken creates Street Games

Dance photographer and film director Hans van den Busken creates the dance film Street Games (Straatspelletjes). This is based on the choreography by Walter Gore made in 1965 for a Scapino Ballet performance. To improve his skills in capturing dance on camera, Van den Busken even takes ballet lessons at Scapino for a while.

Scapino at school

While Hans Snoek is Creative Director, Scapino focusses mainly on children as their audience. Scapino performs in theaters, but also at schools. By giving dance demonstrations in schools, they give even more children a taste of ballet dancing.

A detective story

Dutch children’s book author An Rutgers van der Loeff writes a true detective story about ballet for the Children’s Book Week of 1968.  Scapino plays a major role in the book The hour of the Scapinese (Het uur van de Scapinezen): an untrue story with a lot of truth in it.

Dancing at the Zoo

In June 1969 Scapino dances at a very special location, namely in the Amsterdam Zoo Artis. People, animals and dancing (Mensen, dieren en dansen) is performed. One ticket costs 50 cents. The Amsterdam Police Band starts off this series of ballet performances with a march.

Relocating

In 1972 Scapino moves from the Hortusplantsoen to a new location at the Luchtvaartstraat in Amsterdam. Scapino simply cannot wait with the rehearsals until the constructions are done – the dance company does not want to take a break. The festive opening is on 8 September, coinciding with the first night of Bach Brandenburg Drie by the American dancer and choreographer Charles Czarny.

A Sunny Day by Charles Czarny

On 16 September 1973 A Sunny Day (Zonnige Dag) premiers. It is directed by the American dancer and choreographer Charles Czarny. Joop Stokvis designs the refined costumes. Dutch newspaper Het Parool writes about the performance: ‘At the end of the show, there were well-deserved standing ovations, bravo’s and flowers for Scapino Ballet and for the maker of Sunny Day (Zonnige Dag) Charles Czarny.’

Half a symphony

Scapino opens the season with Half a symphony (Halve symphonie), a new choreography by Armando Navarro. Former Scapino dancer Ine Rietstap writes about it in Dutch national newspaper NRC Handelsblad and she describes the performance as ‘a great addition for Scapino’. In 1985 Half a symphony is part of the anniversary program danced in the City Theater Amsterdam for Dutch Queen Beatrix.

30 years of Scapino!

Scapino celebrates its 30th anniversary with The Nutcracker (De Notenkraker). This is a bold decision because this classical dance has never been performed in its entirety in the Netherlands. It’s a great success: Scapino will perform this show for the next 15 years as its Christmas ballet.

Carambole

Scapino starts the new theater season with Carambole by Jose Gutierrez, performed by Scapino 10. Scapino 10 is a group of ten young dancers who visit schools, teach dance classes and give demonstrations – a way of introducing ballet dance to many children.

Opportunities for young makers

Scapino has a nose for remarkably talented young makers. They are often given the opportunity to create a ballet for the large theatre hall. One of these young talents is Hans Teurlings who makes his first performance for Scapino in 1997: Masquerade.

A new Christmas ballet: Cinderella

Navarro’s The Nutcracker (De Notenkraker) has given Scapino a taste for more. So Navarro creates another dance show for the Christmas holidays: Cinderella (Assepoester). Wim Bijmoer, a well-known designer of decors and sets for popular television series such as Ja Zuster - Nee Zuster, Stille Kracht and Tijl Uilenspiegel, creates the impressive décor. The American dancer Janet Popeleski, who danced the part of the Snow Queen in The Nutcracker gets to dance the main part.

35 years of Scapino!

A great party at the City Theatre in Amsterdam! Scapino celebrates its 30th anniversary with Armando Navarro’s Clowns. Both the decors and the costumes are designed by Wim Bijmoer. Even though the critics say that this performance is ‘more theater than dance’, Clowns receives a lot of praise.

Humoresque

Armando Navarro creates the dance performance Humoresque. Dancers of the ‘large’ Scapino dance company perform together with Scapino 10, a group of 10 young dancers who mainly focus on ballet for school pupils. Each group of dancers has its own repertoire within this show.  

Saving energy

Commissioned by the Dutch Foundation for Saving Energy (Voorlichting Energiebesparing) Nils Christe creates a performance about saving energy: When it runs out, it runs out (Op is op). Christe really doesn’t make it easy for himself in this ballet.

Planning to relocate to Rotterdam

After lots of hesitation, Scapino decides to move to Rotterdam. It takes a few years before the actual move takes place, but from 1988 Scapino is the official dance company of Theater Rotterdam (formerly known as Rotterdamse Schouwburg).

A new direction

Armando Navarro leaves Scapino and the dance company changes its course of direction. The dance is becoming increasingly modern and education is organized differently within Scapino. The ballet classes and demonstrations are no longer organized at schools. However, the department of education remains active within Scapino Ballet.

Rameau, Ed Wubbe’s first ballet

Rameau is Ed Wubbe’s official first ballet now that he has been appointed as house choreographer at Scapino. Wubbe shows what he has in mind for Scapino. He creates a contemporary dance performance full of energy with its baroque music and the theme of the French Revolution.

Financial setbacks for Scapino

Over the years, Scapino is facing many financial setbacks. This season, major financial problems come to light again. The dance company needs to be restructured. Creative Director Nils Christe leaves Scapino this season.

New location

Scapino finally moves into the new studios in the NDU-building on Eendrachtsstraat in Rotterdam after a long search for the best possible place and after renovating and reconstructing the new location. On 5 September 1994 Scapino rehearses here for the first time. From this moment on we call ourselves Scapino Rotterdam. The addition ‘Ballet’ is left out for now.

Perfect Skin

Perfect Skin, a performance that premiered in 1992, reprises this season. Dutch national newspaper Trouw calls the black-and-white decor and costume designs ‘a kaleidoscopic pannatic’ and ‘a panorama that gives rise to various associations, from jungles to swirling seas’.

Epoxy

Twenty dancers from Scapino Rotterdam and seven dancers from Dance company Krisztina de Châtel perform together in the show Epoxy, choreographed by De Châtel. Thom Willems composes the music especially for this performance.

TWOOLS

A new concept is started by Scapino Rotterdam: TWOOLS. Under this name, several short performances by young and talented choreographers are put on stage. These short performances are connected by Ed Wubbe’s divertissements. The second edition is the most spectacular: classically trained dancers are sharing the stage with 010Bboys breakdancers. A real first!

This is also Scapino’s first year at Lowlands music festival where it is the first dance and theater company to take part.

Nanine Linning joins Scapino

Aged 22, Nanine Linning is Scapino’s youngest in-house choreographer ever. Her first major performance is The Neon Lounge. After that she creates: SCUM, Lighthouse, Bubble Gum Wrapper and Endless Song of Silence. After 4 years, Nanine Linning leaves Scapino to continue her career in Germany with her own dance company.  

Scapino x MVRDV

In 2001 Rotterdam is European Capital of Culture. Rotterdam Marketing invites Scapino to create a dance performance for this occasion. And so Manyfacts, life in the 3D city is created. It is an unconventional, joint project by dance company Scapino and MVRDV architects. Manyfacts is set in a city of the future which is shown on large screens. 

At the age of 90, this is also the year when Hans Snoek passes away.

Four for Nothing

American choreographer Amanda Miller, well-known for her innnovative choreographies, creates Four for Nothing for Scapino. Scapino dancer Mischa van Leeuwen recites a 20-minute monologue. It wins an award, The Swan, for best production.

Rotterdam is dancing

Six dance companies from Rotterdam join forces. Scapino and Conny Janssen Danst, Dance Works Rotterdam, Meekers Uitgesproken Dans, Rogie & Company and Dansatelier organise presentations called Rotterdam Danst (Rotterdam is dancing). The highlight of the year is DANSnacht (Dance night) featuring dozens of dance performances and dance workshops filling every corner of Theater Rotterdam (known as Rotterdamse Schouwburg at the time).

Dancing on a lawn

In The Green, Ed Wubbe juxtaposes the magnificent greatness of Bach’s St John’s Passion with the small futility of mankind. Seven male dancers take on the challenge of dancing to this very intimidating music. They do so on a bright green lawn of 10 x 8 metres.

Tous les jours, a tous point de vue, on va de mieux

Between 1977 and 1985, choreographer Hans Teurlings regularly creates performances for Scapino. Now he returns with a special show: Tous les jours, a tous point de vue, on va de mieux. Teurlings does not only challenge the dancers technically, but he also appeals to their theatrical appearance and their readiness to be themselves.

Holland

Ed Wubbe puts together an evening full of dance: three choreographies that are closely connected by the Holland theme. For the title piece Wubbe returns to the Golden Age, where the Dutch identity originated.

Le Chat Noir

An ode to Paris with dance and music: Le Chat Noir (The Black Cat) by Ed Wubbe. He is inspired by the theater and cabaret café with the same name in Montmartre in 1900. It is a combination of different styles of music, dance and variety shows and Ed Wubbe stretches his creative boundaries towards theatrical performances.  

Henry

All eyes are aimed at our new in-house choreographer Itamar Serussi, who introduces himself to the audience with Henry. A season ago he created a shorter dance performance: Wolf, which received lots of praise. In Henry he once again shows his playful and energetic style of moving – with soundscapes by composer Richard van Kruysdijk.

70 years of Scapino!

This anniversary is celebrated with an ambitious project: TING! It is a multidisciplinary and spectacular performance in which Ed Wubbe combines Scapino dancers with circus artists and the Dutch popular music band Nits in a magical fantasy world. It is to be the largest production of Scapino ever. TING! is performed in the derelict Ferro Dome in the docklands of the port of Rotterdam which is transformed into a theatre with a rotating dance floor, 1250 chairs, bars, a restaurant and exhibition centre. In 2018 TING! is put on the stage again in Carré Amsterdam and in the Luxor Theater in Rotterdam.

All hands on deck

This unusual and highly surprising collaboration between Scapino en Släpstick (formerly known as Wëreldbänd) results in All hands on deck. It is a performance full of miraculous combinations of dance, humor, music and theater. One of the performances is co-produced with Foundation Komt het Zien! (Come and See!) for a blind and partially sighted audience.

Double crisis

At the beginning of 2020 Covid hits the world. The Netherlands also goes into a lockdown. This means that a large number of performances in the spring of 2020 are cancelled. To make matters worse, Scapino nearly loses its position as BIS company (Basic Infrastructure for cultural organisations in the Netherlands). Thanks to our wonderful audience, many of whom sign the petition – and thanks to the support of theaters, the dance world and politics Scapino manages to keep the right to receive funding from the Dutch government.