Mats Ek
Mats Ek
Allegra Vianello
English National Ballet School
2nd year
Words Count: 2304
23/04/2013
Contents Page
Introduction
Life and career
Re-making of the ballet classics
Stylistic elements of his choreography: clarity and irony
Themes
Movement Vocabulary
References
Influences and Muses
Bibliography
Introduction
In this essay I will present one of the greatest choreographers of the 20th century, Mats Ek. I will describe his specific stylistic characteristics, themes and dance vocabulary bringing as examples some of his most important re-adapted works such as Giselle, Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty.
Life and career
Mats Ek was born in Malmo, Sweden on the 18 of April 1945. He came from a very culturally active background: he was the son of a famous Swedish actor Anders Ek and the internationally recognized choreographer Birgit Cullberg, founder and director of the Cullberg Ballet, his sister Malin was an actress and his brother Niklas a dancer.
Mats Ek started his dance studies (Martha Graham technique) with Doya Feur in 1962 alongside with drama studies. In 1965 he became a full time drama student at the Marie College but few years later he returned to dance training at the Stockholm Ballet Academy. His first theatrical working experience began as the producer and then director of the Puppet Theatre in Stockholm. During the season 1980-1981, he was associated with the Nederland Dans Theater as dancer as well as choreographer. Few years later he joined the Cullberg Ballet as a dancer and in 1985 he became the artistic director of it, he directed the company for eight years. He left it in 1993 being replaced from Lidstrom and Wennergren Juras.
Re-making of the ballet classics
“Over ten years ago I saw it(Giselle) for the first time- with Makarova. She was really gripped me. Already then, I
Allegra Vianello
English National Ballet School
2nd year
Words Count: 2304
23/04/2013
Contents Page
Introduction
Life and career
Re-making of the ballet classics
Stylistic elements of his choreography: clarity and irony
Themes
Movement Vocabulary
References
Influences and Muses
Bibliography
Introduction
In this essay I will present one of the greatest choreographers of the 20th century, Mats Ek. I will describe his specific stylistic characteristics, themes and dance vocabulary bringing as examples some of his most important re-adapted works such as Giselle, Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty.
Life and career
Mats Ek was born in Malmo, Sweden on the 18 of April 1945. He came from a very culturally active background: he was the son of a famous Swedish actor Anders Ek and the internationally recognized choreographer Birgit Cullberg, founder and director of the Cullberg Ballet, his sister Malin was an actress and his brother Niklas a dancer.
Mats Ek started his dance studies (Martha Graham technique) with Doya Feur in 1962 alongside with drama studies. In 1965 he became a full time drama student at the Marie College but few years later he returned to dance training at the Stockholm Ballet Academy. His first theatrical working experience began as the producer and then director of the Puppet Theatre in Stockholm. During the season 1980-1981, he was associated with the Nederland Dans Theater as dancer as well as choreographer. Few years later he joined the Cullberg Ballet as a dancer and in 1985 he became the artistic director of it, he directed the company for eight years. He left it in 1993 being replaced from Lidstrom and Wennergren Juras.
Re-making of the ballet classics
“Over ten years ago I saw it(Giselle) for the first time- with Makarova. She was really gripped me. Already then, I