Royal Danish Ballet
Liam Scarlett:
“Queen of Spades”
The Old Stage
October 3, 2019
April 2017, a young dancer got the opportunity to dance not just one but two leading roles in a new created ballet on the company. Originally, he was also supposed to do corps duty. As the new creation would only have a short and compressed run, the dancer feared that he would not get the change for the leading role, due to lack of rehearsal time.
However, the chorographer could see how big his potential was, and pulled him from corps duty, giving the dancer time to focus on the two major roles as, second cast in the supporting role as Tomskij, the friend of the leading role and third cast as the protagonist Herman, the soldier turned gambler. A role that is on stage on most of the performance.
Total Success
“Queen of Spades” proved to be something of a miracle as the choreographer Liam Scarlett was able to wake the Royal Danish Ballet´s dormant tradition for character building and put it into a total modern framework. All three casts did very well, and the first two dancers performing the leading role as Hermann certainly reached the top of their skills.
Then it was Tobias Praetorius´ turn. It was an outstanding performance. He took the role of Herman into places and depths, no one would have expected of young Tobias Praetorius, generally perceived as a character dancer.
Somehow, the young dancer managed to find a truly unique interpretation. It was anger on anger, deceit on deceit. He kept up the highest possible speed and energy. He shifted effortlessly between charming the female lead - or totally ignore her. He had the role and audience in his trail.
Back in Line
Well that was 18 month ago. Last night he managed to raise and develop the role to even greater depths. It seemed like this is the ultimate interpretation of Herman.
It is an impressive feat, especially considered the fact that although his first performance as Herman was so impressive, it did nothing for him career wise. There have been surprisingly few new opportunities for him in the repertoire. Tobias Praetorius has carried on in the same supporting roles in “Alice” as dormouse and fish, the usual divertissements and corps duty.
Ballets where he has had leading roles like Kim Brandstrup´s “Shaken Mirror”, it did not get the announced second run etc.
Taken Care of his own Career
Luckily, Tobias Praetorius is a man of action, and he has found new outlets for his talents.
He is the co-founder of “The Chamber Ballet“, who have had two successful summer runs, including good choreography and outstanding dancing from Tobias Praetorius himself. He has been on several break out tours with other RDB dancers, home and abroad. He has developed his skills as dancer, choreographer and entrepreneur. He has also been on an exchange program with Washington Ballet.
Nikolaj Hübbe has lost some very significant dancers over the lasts years, including Alban Lendorf and Sebastian Haynes. Adding the fact that the RDB School has produced very few male dancers over the last years, a unique talent as Tobias Praetorius is pivotal for the company.
Dwindling Numbers
At presently, the company only has nine male dancers, educated at the RDB School, including two character dancers, two principal dancers, one soloist and four corps dancers. This season the company have added one male dancer from its school. This is the first hiring of a Danish male dancer in five years.
It is not an impressive figure considering the company´s reputation for outstanding male dancers.
Luckily, the company have been able to find fine dancers from abroad. It must also be mentioned that not everyone joining the company has the ability to adapt to the dramatic ballets and Bournonville tradition.
That is currently resting on very few shoulders. It is a fact that Nikolaj Hübbe really takes his time when appointing Danish principals. Our two outstanding male dancers Andreas Kaas and Jon Axel Fransson waited for their appointments several years in spite of their talent and impressive dancing. Perhaps the waiting game has cost us a talent like Sebastian Haynes.
Promotion Game
Surprisingly, Nikolaj Hübbe is much faster when promoting non-Danish principals and soloists. For instance last season he promoted two soloists of which one had not been a full year in the company. These promotions took place after Tobias Praetorius presented his first outstanding Hermann.
There is a Danish saying that Make a great man out of him, but do it slowly. In other cases, Nikolaj Hübbe has promoted dancers on very short resumes. The slow approach he takes regarding the homegrown dancers could backfire and leave us without the backbone of our famed tradition.
When discussing the issue of the diminishing numbers of male dancers with either Nikolaj Hübbe or Thomas Lund, Principal of the RDB school, the both assure me, that it is a recurring pattern. The school has never been able to produce outstanding dancers every year. They tend to come in groups every second and third year.
Well, they have not over the last five years. Currently we are losing them at both ends, and although some of the foreign intakes has or can develop dramatic skills and the company style, not everyone choses to stay in cold Copenhagen with the difficult language.
The dwindling group of Danish educated dancers and the loyal group of foreign dancers dedicating their career to RDB is the key factor in keeping the heritage and tradition for strong male dancing alive.
A force like Tobias Praetorius is central in keeping and developing the national tradition. He is the dancer the company cannot afford to lose.
Photos by Henrik Stenberg. Copyright(c) Royal Danish Ballet
- Tobias Praetorius as Hermann and Lena-Maria Gruber as Herman and Liza
- Ji Min Hong as the countess/Queen of Spades and Tobias Praetorius
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