Dance Open 2019: Winterreise performed by Ballett Zürich

Christian Spuck in his own words

The road to choreography follows one’s own trials in dance.

Choreography is ability to narrate story in pictures and movements.

First introducing to music is very emotional process.

A lot of choreographers of my generation are becoming directors of companies, and want to do things differently — and I really love that, I want to be part of that new wave.

When creating new choreography, I need to reinvent everything from the starting point. I relieve the history, music, space and époque.

Christian Spuck

One of the most interesting choreographers of our times, Christian Spuck has built his career in a very unusual way. His parents have never approved his intention to become a dancer, yet he was persistent and struggled for his dream. Only as late as at 20 years old, he became free in his decisions and entered, at last, the John Cranko Schule in Stuttgart. An absolutely unique case! But due to the wisdom of the school managers, who made an exception for a young man obsessed with choreography, the world of dance was enriched by Spuck’s mesmerizing dramatic characters, who deeply impress a spectator’s mind by the sophisticated choreographic language. Later Christian Spuck confessed that the studies were very hard for him: he felt himself the worst pupil in the class. Nothing surprising as his start was extremely late. But despite all difficulties, in 1993 he graduated and got diploma of the ballet school. At that moment he was be enthusiastic with contemporary dance. His stage career started in the Needcompany of Jan Lauwers, and later he began to dance in the ROSAS ensemble directed by a Belgian dancer and choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker. In 1995 Christian joined the Stuttgart Ballett where he danced in productions by Glen Tetley, Robert North, John Cranko, Mauro Bigonzetti, William Forsythe, Martino Müller, John Neumeier and others. In the same he also started his own chorographical experiments. In 1994 he has already become a choreographic assistant to Marco Santi, and since 1996 he started to create his own pieces for the television, collaborate with the Noverre Society of Young Choreographers and the Regional Arts Festival of Europe. In 1997-1998 the magazine Ballet International — Tanz Aktuell named Christian Spuck the «best up-and-coming choreographer». Since 1999 the choreographer has worked with many American and European companies, including the American Ballet Theatre, The Norwegian National Ballet, Staatsballett Berlin, New York City Ballet and the Aterballetto in Italy. Since 1997 Christian Spuck has created many works for the Stuttgart Ballett where in 2001 he was employed as a resident choreographer. Apart from choreography, Spuck also works for music theatre and cinema. In general, he likes to experiment with different genres. Thus, in 2005 he performed his version of the Staud’s opera “Berenice”; in 2009 he united the opera and ballet company of the Stuttgart Theater in the Gluck’s opera “Orphée et Eurydice”, and in 2014 he staged the Berlioz’s opera “La Damnation de Faust”. In 2013 Christian Spuck took the leadership of the Ballett Zürich. Here, among other productions, he staged his version of “Romeo and Juliet” by Prokofiev. In his interpretation the characters appeared not as delicate teenagers, but as insolent, ambitious people living through the tough times. “The villainy is not romantic”, — that was the message Spuck tended to proclaim. His experience includes also the Russian classic literature: he has staged “Anna Karenina” to the music of Rachmaninoff and Lutosławski. The international critics are always following the success of the choreographer. His original production of the “Poppea//Poppea” for Gauthier Dance at the Theaterhaus Stuttgart was named one of the world's ten most successful dance productions of 2010 by “Dance Europe” magazine. In 2011 Spuck won two awards a row: Germany Der Faust and Italian Danza/Danza. In 2016 Christian Spuck became a Jury member of the St. Petersburg International Ballet Award which was a part of the 15th jubilee season of the Dance Open festival. The choreographer confesses his main criteria for evaluating the nominees as “the light to be radiating by the dancer, as well as impressive personality and perfect technical skills”.

Choreographers

There was something that rang true in his work. He created images and moments that stopped me. I had a visceral instinct that here was a choreographer with real potential.

His magnetic presence and unparalleled immersion in every role he tackles has left his audience breathless.

Jiří Bubeníček in his own words

I am curious about what is happening with a human being in the world.

Choreography for me is finding myself. It is a glance inside myself.

Kavin Haigen, Ilse Wiedmann and John Neumeier. It was that great combination of people that made me understand what true artistry is.

Choreography is a puzzle where everyone finds the most suitable place. Choreography is done when all is in place. Apart from that, music is of utmost importance for me. I can stage the productions that really touch me only with the music.

Inspiration can be anywhere, one just needs to be open to it.

Jiří Bubeníček

A Czech citizen, born in Poland, he is the star of one of the most famous ballet companies in Germany. Demanded by the public and choreographers all over the world, he reconsidered his artistic experience in such a way that starting from his very first independent productions it was clear for the ballet critics that a new perspective choreographer had appeared on international ballet stage. Together with his twin brother Otto he graduated from the Prague Dance Conservatory. Thanks to the award at the Prix de Lausanne (1992) he was granted a place in John Neumeier's Hamburg Ballet, where he became a Principal dancer in 1997. He did not only perform all principal male roles in Neumeier's performances, he was also granted with a very special honour – the role of Vaslav Nijinsky in the ballet “Nijinsky”, created by the legendary maestro specially for Bubeníček. His Arman from Neumeier's La Dame aux Camélias was so stunning that he was invited to dance alongside with Aurelie Dupont and Agnes Letestu in Opera de Paris. Bubeníček started performing with Semperoper Dresden Ballet in 2006. However, coming from the family of touring acrobats, he never stayed for too long at the same place — he also collaborated with the ballet companies in New York, Zurich, Vienna, Munchen, Stockholm and Beijing. In 1999 Jiří Bubeníček started working on independent productions. His first premiere took place in Hamburg, later followed Prague, Copenhaguen, Zurich, New York, Basel, Athens. Amongst his most successful works are Unerreichbare Orte for Hamburg Ballet (2005), Le Souffle de l’Esprit for Zurich Ballet (2007) that was also staged for the Vienna Ballet on request of Manuel Legris and Toccata for New York City Ballet (2009). Up to date he staged more than 30 ballet pieces. In 2009 he and his twin brother Otto created “Les Ballets Bubeníček” — a company that presents to the audience all over the world ballet shows with leading European ballet dancers. Jiří Bubeníček has been awarded with many prizes throughout his dancing and choreography careers, for the  the Dance Open Award Best Duet (with his brother Otto) is one of them. He worked in cinema and television productions, such as The Working of Utopia by Donya Feuer (2000, as a dancer) and Nachtrausch by Simon Gross (2006, as a choreographer). In the Dance Open 15th Anniversary Season there will be presented the original version of Jiří Bubeníček’s Le Souffle de l’Esprit, adapted for Wiener Staatsballett.

Jae Man Joo

Jae Man Joo has been involved with Complexions Contemporary Ballet since 1996. He started classical ballet training at UM Ballet studio in his native Korea, where he also studied modern dance and Korean traditional dance. After graduating from Dankook University he danced with a wide range of Korean dance companies. Before moving to New York City in 1996, he received the Best Individual Dance Award in the Bagnolet International Choreographer Festival in Paris, France. He has worked with Shen Wei, ZviGotheiner, Igal Perry, Ballet Hispanico, among others. He choreographed his first solo work, Sorrow (Frank Schubert), for a showing at Dance Theater Workshop in 2004. The Korea Modern Dance Museum invited Mr. Joo to choreograph and perform his second solo work, Duet (Jules Massenet) during their 2006 festival. In 2007 his premiered his work for Complexions Contemporary Ballet Tears (Sergei Rachmaninoff), in 2008 Surface (Claude Debussy) in 2009 Atmosphere (J.S. Bach) and in 2012 FLIGHT (J.S Bach) which opened at New York’s Joyce Theater. He is a recipient of 2009 Princess Grace Award for Excellence in choreography. Starting in 1999 during his off hours he started taking photographs as a hobby and it has developed into a more serious undertaking throughout the years. Along with Mr. Rhoden and Mr. Richardson, Joo founded the worldwide education project CODE3-3 Artistic Director’s Education & Movement creation project. In 2011, he was appointed to the position of Associate Artistic Director.