Breaking down the borders that traditionally exist between classical and contemporary dance and redefining dance as a culmination of both.«
(Aaron S. Watkin)
Season 2012/13
With »Romeo and Juliet« and »Bella Figura«, our two main premiere programs this season, I am continuing my vision of an all-encompassing, vibrant repertoire. »Bella Figura« introduces, beside Czech choreographer Jiŕi Kylián’s poetically masterpiece »Bella Figura«, two new choreographers: Ohad Naharin, Director of Bat-Sheva Dance Company presents his »Minus 16«, whereas American-born former Forsythe dancer Helen Pickett creates a work for our company to the music of Hans Werner Henze’s »Das Vokaltuch der Kammersängerin Rosa Silber« as part of our house’s celebration in tribute of Mr. Henze. Our second premiere is one of the most famous tragic love stores of all times, Prokofiev’s »Romeo and Juliet«. I have commissioned Belgian choreographer Stijn Celis who is well known to our audience for his works Vertigo Maze, Cinderella and Noces to create a contemporary production especially on our dancers.
For our Young Scene program, Michael Tucker from our ensemble will create a piece based on his own fictitious story, while our Young Choreographers will arrange an evening in the Gläserne Manufaktur (The Transparent Factory) as part of our On the move program.
After the success of our last year’s Gala Program, this season will again close with a ballet gala that will present »The Stars of Today and Tomorrow«.
Four full-length classical ballets and two mixed modern programs from our existing repertoire will round off this diverse program for our audience and dancers.
I am very happy to announce that along with Dmitry Semionov, our Resident Guest Artist, his sister and international star Polina Semionova will be a guest artist with us from this season onwards. From of our last year’s Apprentice Program, which provides young dancers with invaluable working experience for their future, I am happy to announce that we have taken two young talented dancers into the corps de ballet.
To get us out onto the international dance scene and continue promoting our company abroad, we had two highly successful tours to the Abu Dhabi Dance Festival in the UAE and the Spoleto Festival »Due Mondi« in Italy this past season. Furthermore, I got the chance to be involved in »TAMED«, the German Dance Medicine Foundation and could do some networking for our company as a guest speaker at their conference in Berlin and as a juror in the Youth American Grand Prix in New York and the International Dance Competition in Bejing.
With warm regards,
Aaron Sean Watkin
Artistic Director
