Eva Kistrup

Last Mime Standing

 

 

 

 Interview with Morten Eggert 

 

February 21, 2021 

 The Royal Danish Ballet holds a very special card in the form of Character Dancer Morten Eggert. Already as a young dancer, he showed a special gift for creating characters. Over the years he have portrayed most of the famed character roles in the RDB repertoire including Mercutio in John Neumeier’s “Romeo and Juliet”, the title role  in Bournonville’s “Abdallah”, Gurn in “La Sylphide” and a wide assortment of baddies and goodies from the international  repertoire.

There are many standouts. In 2009, I wrote of his performance in “Minus 7” by Ohad Nahadin:

 

“One man improvises on stage. He communicates with the growing crowds who have stayed in the theater during intermission in anticipation of his act. No two performances are alike and the dancer is fully in command of his steps, miming and audience. This is Morten Eggert, one of the most original dancers in Royal Danish Ballet warming up the audience for "Minus 7" and what he represents in those few brief moments is the soul of the company, the special abilities of the Danish school to combine drama and dancing and be able to communicate without words, to give a dramatic twist to even the most abstract ballet. He is the more than 200 year old tradition, but does he also represent the future?”

Different Dances - Different Audiences

 

 

 

 

Presentation of The RDB Summer Festival

Review of

Silja Schandorff & Nikolaj Hübbe:

"Swan Lake"

February 10, 2018

 

In 1979 the Royal Danish Ballet launched the first Bournonville Festival, honoring the almost founding father of the ballet, company and his legacy of plus 10 ballets. The legacy h has stayed alive and remains a central part of world ballet heritage, mainly his version of “La Sylphide” and his other masterpiece “Napoli”.

RDB repeated the festival in 1992 and in 2005, and it was therefore expected that a fourth Bournonville Festival would take place in 2018.

Since Nikolaj Hübbe took over as Artistic Director in 2008, the issue of August Bournonville’s legacy in the company has been much discussed in the ballet environment. Instead of presenting the established versions of Bournonville´s ballets, Nikolaj Hübbe has presented his own controversial versions of the masterpieces.

In his versions of ”Napoli”, “ A Folk´s Tale” and “La Sylphide” he removed the religious content and added a Fellini touch to “Napoli”, he moved “A Folk’s Tale” from the Renaissance to the late 19^th century and created a gay relationship between James and a male Madge in “La Sylphide”.

The remaining productions of Bournonville works have not been performed regularly since the third festival. Former RDB and NYCB star Ib Andersen created a very fine production of “The Kermes at Brügge”, which was only performed six times.

Breaking News: Jonathan Chmelensky appointed Principal at Royal Danish Ballet

 

February 9, 2018 

 

 Following his first full performance as Siegfried in “Swan Lake”, the French dancer Jonathan Chmelensky was appointed Principal. In addition to Siegfried, he has also danced Von Rothbart and Benno in the current production by Silja Schandorff and Nikolaj Hübbe. Jonathan Chmelensky joined RDB in 2007 following studies at The Paris Conservatoire (CNSM) and the National Ballet school of Cuba. It was soon clear that RDB had gained a very dedicated dancer, who always was ready to fill a gap in the line-up and take on assignments on very short notice.

I made an interview with him in 2014, following his appointment to Soloist where he stated:

“I am the guy who does not say no, when asked to take over a role with very short notice. It has given me chances to show what I can do and it has helped to broaden my repertoire.” (http://danceviewtimes.typepad.com/eva_kistrup/2014/01/our-man-from-havana-1.html)

His game plan has worked a treat and lead to a number of leading role including:

Solor (William) - La Bayadere (Hübbe), Theme and Variations (G. Balanchine), Tchaikovsky Pas de deux (G.Balanchine), Sid - Come Fly Away (T.Tharp) Gennaro, Golfo , Pas de six - Napoli (N.Hübbe/S.Englund) Cavalier-Nutcracker (G.Balanchine) Lescaut - Manon (Macmillan) Rothbart-Benno and Siegfried Swan Lake  (Hübbe, Schandorff)

Other featured roles includes: Gaston Rieux- Ladies of the Camelias (J.Neumeier) Short time together (Lightfoot , León) Flower Festival in Genzano (A.Bournonville) Corsaire Pas de deux  (Petitpa) Pas de trois -Swan lake (Hübbe, Schandorff) BlueBird -Sleeping Beauty(C.Wheeldon after Petipa) Pas de deux - Etudes (H.Lander) Chroma (W.Mcgregor), Unsung(J.Limón) Schubert Pas de deux (A.Lüders) Afron - Golden Cockerel(A.Ratmansky) Bournonville Fantasy (T.Lund) Agon , Symphonie in 3(G.Balanchine)Pas de Sept - Folkesagn (Bournonville), The death that best preserves(N.Horecna),

The appointment of Jonathan Chmelensky assures a continuation of the long line of outstanding RDB  male dancers and it also documents that it is possible for a foreign dancer to assimilate into the company style. With three leading male stars currently dancing abroad this is an important appointment.

 

Photo: Jonathan Chmelensky as Basil in "Don Quixote"  by Costin Radu (Copyright(c) Royal Danish Ballet)