2017 Interlude

During the jury deliberations on the finals, the audience can watch a short performance by former prize winners and dancers from our partner institutions.

This year, the Prix de Lausanne has the great honor to welcome the National Youth Ballet of Germany (Bundesjugendballet) and its Artistic Director Kevin Haigen for the first part of the interlude. The eight young dancers will perform an original creation of John Neumeier titled “John’s Dream”, gathering five short pieces:

• B.J.B.
  Choreography and Texte: Bundesjugendballett
  Music: freely adapted from Ludwig Van Beethoven, Piano Suite No. 8 Pathétique Leonard Cohen, Hallelujah
  Musicians: Hisano Kobayashi (Piano), James McFadden-Talbot (Violin)

• Excerpt from “String quartet op. 130 [work in progress]”
  Choreography: John Neumeier
  Dancers: Giorgia Giani, Tilman Pathak, Joel Paulin
  Music: Ludwig van Beethoven, String Quartet No.13 D-Dur op. 130, V. Cavatina

• Tangos
  Choreography: Maša Kolar
  Dancers: Sara Ezzell, Larissa Machado, Teresa Silva Dias
  Music: Carlos Gardel, Melodía de arrabal

• 4/4/4
  Choreography: Bundesjugendballett
  Dancers: Kristian Lever, Tilman Patzak, Joel Paulin, Ricardo Urbina Reyes
  Beatbox: Anton “The Kid” Stender

• Thankful
  Choreography: Sasha Riva
  Music: Josh Groban, Thankful

Duration in total: 20 minutes.

Dancers of the National Youth Ballet of Germany
Pictures by Shelly Power, Prix de Lausanne Artistic Director, during her visit of the company on November 9th 2016.

National Youth Ballet of Germany

Germany’s first ever National Youth Ballet was founded at the beginning of the 2011/2012 theatre season. The company consists of eight professional dancers aged 18 to 23, and began work in its new home at the Ballettzentrum Hamburg – John Neumeier.

With its own repertoire comprising mainly of works by young choreographers, the group will predominantly dance in new spaces – not theatres, but schools, museums, nursing homes and even prisons; spaces in which dance does not usually attract much interest.

Bundesjugendballett performing “Dressed up in Tissue Paper” – Photo by Silvano Ballone

The National Youth Ballet aims to demonstrate that dance has a social relevance creating a spirit of community and a sense of unity, focussing especially on a young audience. The company has both national and international tours scheduled, hoping to bring people of different backgrounds and characters together through movement and creativity.

BJB-General director John Neumeier summarizes the alignment of the company as follows:

“With their own repertoire, which creatively reflects the feelings, awareness and ideas of the young generation, the youth company is an ideal mediator between youth culture, high art and the general public. It also has a valuable social aspect with a positive effect on the non-dance world. We want to tie in with the successes of other junior companies and further increase the awareness of dance as an art form within our society”

Credits

General Director and Artistic Supervisor
John Neumeier

Artistic and Pedagogical Director
Kevin Haigen

Managing Director
Antonia Sobik

Deputy of the Artistic Director
Yohan Stegli

Pianist
Hisano Kobayashi

Event Technology
Martin Potapski

Costume Interpreter
Sonja Kraft

Project Management
Sascha Hartmann

Contact Press and Public Relations
Frieda Fielers