Eva Kistrup

The Best Intentions

 Royal Danish Ballet

August 15, 2020

 

Just before the lock down following the Corona challenge, Royal Danish Ballet announced that Principal dancers Amy Watson and Kizzy Matiakis would retire during the upcoming season. Each ballerina will retire after a final performance of respectively Teresina in “Napoli” and Karen Blixen in Gregory Dean´s creation “Blixen”.

Both ballerinas are outstanding proof that it is indeed possible for foreign educated dancers to master the Danish style and dramatic skills. Amy Watson and Kizzy Matiakis will be remembered, not only for their dedication to Royal Danish Ballet but also for their results and contribution.

Young Leavers

However, looking at the upcoming season´s rooster, it certainly look like that the dedication from dancers are dwindling. A significant numbers of younger dancers have decided to go elsewhere, or as in many cases retire or taking leave from dancing and instead join a university.

It was Nikolaj Hubbe himself, who introduced putting a high school education into the dance pupils program. Nikolaj Hübbe´s idea was if the Ballet School also included a secondary academic level, it would calm and secure the parents that pupils who might not be offered employment, still would have a high school education to rely on.

What Nikolaj Hübbe had not realized was that apprentices and young dancers might find their academic studies more interesting than a place on the back line in the corps de ballet.

Closing Corpus

 

August 11, 2020

 

Breaking News:

Nikolaj Hübbe close the experimental in house company Corpus in order to focus more on classical ballet. Corpus, as lead by Tim Matiakis will close at the end of 2021, as told by POW, the online arts and stage magazine.

Corpus has been a part of Royal Danish Ballet since 2012. It was originally planed as an outlet for the RDB dancers who could test their own ideas and choreography. The first years saw some interesting works like “We are not wowing – we are drowning” created by the RDB ensemble. “In Føling” followed this up in cooperation with theatre director Christian Lollike with the theme of the Afghanistan war. The RDB dancers performed with three injured war casualties, which resulted in an outstanding performance.  

These first years also showed interesting works from RDB dancers who had the dare to try their choreographic skills. Some of the most successful in-house choreographers included company members Esther Lee Wilkinson, who later has created several ballets, including some outstanding children’s ballets and the young dancer Oliver Starpov, who showed impressive choreographic skills.