After having created many duets as part of a larger work, withTwo Hans van Manen once again choreographed an independant ballet-for-two. The last one - Sarcasmen (Pianovariaties II) - had been created eight years before. From 1990 onwards, however, he made five pas de deux. Apart from Two, the others are Theme, Andante, Evergreens and Different Partners.
Van Manen's renewed interest in the duet must stem from the compelling nature of this form. The title itself, Two, immediately indicates the limitation that Van Manen set himself.
Two came into being in a most unusual manner for Van Manen. Instead of counting out the music first, he started working straight away with the dancers in the studio. As he choreographed he wanted to be inspired directly and intuitively by Busoni's music.
In Two, two partners find support and counterbalance - both literally and figuratively - in each other. Their relationship is characterized by respect and acceptance, and a resignation to one's fate also plays a part.

In 1991 Hans van Manen received the Choreography Prize from the VSCD (United Theatre Directions of the Netherlands) for this work and was awarded the Sonia Gaskell Prize for three duets: Two, Theme and Andante.

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