Sylvie Guillem
Sylvie Guillem CBE (born February 25, 1965 in Paris ) is a French dancer and choreographer . She is considered the most important dancer of the late 20th century.
Life
As a child, Sylvie Guillem first began with artistic gymnastics , where she performed so well that she was included in the shortlist for the French Olympic team. Her talent for ballet was discovered during an exchange program with the Paris Opera Ballet School . She was 11 years old when she entered this school. At 16, she was accepted into the Ballet de l'Opéra de Paris , the ballet company of the Paris Opera.
In 1983 she won the prestigious international ballet competition in Varna . She then rose to the rank of "Sujet" (the ranks of the Paris Opera Ballet are: Quadrille, Coryphée, Sujet, Premier danseur, Étoile - comparable to the German ranks of group dancer, half soloist, solo dancer or Ballerina, first solo dancer or prima ballerina, leading dancer). That year Rudolf Nureyev became the artistic director of the Paris Opera Ballet. Above all, he promoted the young members of the company, which gave Guillem the chance to dance solos in several classics newly staged by Nureyev.
As an expressive, spirited dancer, whose confident body control is also characterized by her early gymnastic training (which some critics accused her of being "too sporty"), she is suitable for both classical and modern choreographies. Leading roles in works by contemporary choreographers such as George Balanchine , Roland Petit , Jerome Robbins and William Forsythe continued to help develop their style and skills.
On December 19, 1984, she was promoted to "Première Danseuse". Only five days later, after appearing in Nureyev's Swan Lake , she became his youngest Étoile. Other leading roles followed, which she often danced with Nureyev as her partner. One of the young choreographers who used her talent was William Forsythe. In 1987 he created the lead role for her in In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated .
In 1988 the Royal Opera House celebrated Nureyev's 50th birthday and invited him to dance Albrecht in Giselle at a gala . As a partner he chose Guillem, who made her debut in London with Giselle .
In 1989, when she was still dancing in Paris, she wanted to dance as a guest in other companies. But Nureyev, as her mentor, was against it. Guillem accepted a falling out and switched against his will as a guest dancer to the London Royal Ballet . During her time at the Royal Ballet she danced choreographies by Kenneth MacMillan , Frederick Ashton and Adam Cooper and during this time she made a name for herself not only with great achievements, but also spirited arguments with her choreographers.
As a choreographer, Maurice Béjart in particular met her skills and expressive style with his theatrical approach to choreography. She danced her first piece by Béjart without his permission at a ballet competition in Varna. She later worked with him at the Paris Opera . Sissi Impératrice , a choreography by Béjart in which Guillem portrays Empress Elisabeth of Austria (or - it remains to be seen - a madwoman who thinks she is Elisabeth) in a dance, demonstrates the sparkling creative relationship between the choreographer and his muse very vividly.
In 1998 Guillem returned to the Paris Opera Ballet as a guest dancer.
Sylvie Guillem has won several international awards and gives guest appearances at renowned companies around the world. In 2010 she studied the solo Ajö with Mats Ek at Stockholm's Dansens Hus , based on the piano sonata op. 111 by Ludwig van Beethoven .
She now also implements her artistic ideas as a choreographer.
In 2015 she was awarded the Praemium Imperiale .
Filmography
- 2012:
- Sylvie Guillem - At Work & Portrait, DVD production by Naxos Deutschland GmbH
- 2009:
- On the Edge, DVD production by Universal
- Ballerina, DVD production by Alive - sales and marketing
- 2008:
- Sacred Monsters, DVD production by Axiom Films
- 2002:
- Evidentia - A Film, DVD production by Warner Music Group Germany
Web links
- Sylvie Guillem in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- www.sylvieguillem.com Official website of Sylvie Guillem (in English and French)
- Manuel Brug: The Madonna of the Dance. In: Die Welt , February 1, 2008
Individual evidence
- ↑ Robert Greskovic: 'Sylvie Guillem-Life in Progress' Review. The Wall Street Journal , November 18, 2015, accessed November 20, 2015 .
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Guillem, Sylvie |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | French dancer and choreographer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | February 25, 1965 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Paris |