September 5th, 2020
Today the RDB is starting a new season with the Ballet & Brunch programme. However, there was a significantly better piece of news available. During the school on stage, Nikolaj Hübbe used the opportunity to promote 24 year old Tobias Praetorius to soloist.
Nikolaj Hübbe motivated the promotion as follows:
“When coreographers are in the process of creating, they dream about a dancer like Tobias Praetorius. He always commit himself 150% and that is why Tobias Praetorius gets the promotion today.”
Most ballet fans and reviewers had looked forward for several years to this promotion. Tobias Praetorius is probably the male dancer with the widest range in the company. Following a strong streak of character roles as the troll Viderik in August Bournonville´s “A Folks Tale”, Benvolio in “Romeo & Juliet”, etc, he has moved on to many demanding roles, several of these uses his humor and skills. Others his qualities as classic dancer, modern dancer or dance actor.
His big breakthrough was as the leading role in Liam Scarlett´s “Queen of Spades.”
In the role of Herman the ambitious gambler, Tobias Praetorius took the leading role into places and depths which no one would have expected of so young a dancer.
While Tobias Praetorius is generally perceived as a character dancer. Somehow, the young dancer managed to find a truly unique interpretation of Hermann. 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.
At the rerun of “Queen of Spades” he managed to raise and develop the role to even greater depths. It seemed like this is the ultimate interpretation of Herman.
As a very young dancer he also got leading roles in works like “Short Time Together” by Sol Léon & Paul Lightfoot, “Cacti” by Alexander Ekman, Christopher Wheeldon´s “Alice in Wonderland”, Kim Brandstrup´s “Shaken Mirror” and “Cathy Marston’s ”Liaison Dangerous”
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“, whichhave 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. He is currently choreographing a children’s ballet with the RDB School.
Tobias Praetorius is a force; neither Royal Danish Ballet nor the audience can be without. We are looking forward to enjoy even more of this multitalented dancer, choreographer and producer.
Photo credits:
- Portrait of Tobias Praetorius by Natascha Rydvald
- As Herman in "Queen of Spades" by Henrik Stenberg
- In "Lady of the Camilias" by Henrik Stenberg
- As Viderik in "A Folk´s Tale by Morten Abrahamsen
Copyrights(c) Royal Danish Ballet
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