STUTTGART, GERMANY: Theaterhaus Stuttgart Dance presents Egon Madsen's "Greyhounds"
Company:
Theaterhaus Stuttgart Dance
Photo: Julia Krämer, Marianne Kruuse, Egon Madsen, Thomas Lempertz. Courtesy of Regina Brocke.
Tanzprofil (Dance Profile) on Egon Madsen's Greyhounds
An introduction.
Host: Phillip Koban, TanzSzene Baden-Wuerttemberg & Dramaturgy Greyhounds
Their life is dance, their life was dance: Marianne Kruuse, Egon Madsen, Julia Krämer and Thomas Lempertz have shaped ballet in Stuttgart and well beyond. Two generations of exceptional dancers who are brought back on stage by Egon Madsen. The Theaterhaus dance production which will be premièred on November 1, 2015 combines the biographies of the four dancers with choreographies by Marco Goecke, Mauro Bigonzetti, Eric Gauthier, John Neumeier and Amos Ben-Tal. In their Dance Profile on October 13, Egon Madsen and his cast will discuss their motivation and the concept of Greyhounds – plus they will offer the audience a glimpse of the new piece. Eric Gauthier represents the contributing choreographers; another guest will be Sabrina Sadowska who, as Head of the Foundation TANZ – Transition Zentrum Deutschland, supports dancers in their professional reorientation after their comparatively short dancing career. Hosted by guest dramaturg Phillip Koban, Eric Gauthier, Egon Madsen and his „Greyhounds“ are also looking for an answer to an essential question of this world première: "Why do we not simply stop?"
Greyhounds
Production: Theaterhaus Stuttgart
Staging Dance & Artistic Direction: Egon Madsen
Featuring Marianne Kruuse, Julia Krämer, Thomas Lempertz and Egon Madsen
Choreography: Marco Goecke, Mauro Bigonzetti, Eric Gauthier, John Neumeier, Amos Ben-Tal
Costumes: Gudrun Schretzmeier
Set & Lighting Design: Flurin Borg Madsen
Dramaturgy: Phillip Koban
Choreographic Assistant: Milena Twiehaus
Assistant Director: Bibi Deibler
Assistant Set Designer: David Fitzgerald
Technician: Martin Hartnagel
Wardrobe Department: Kerry Ries (Head), Christine Lange, Ramona Wunderlich, Aische Weber
Set construction: Marc Dobmaier, Max Hochreiter
Props: Beate Mergel
Dance at Theaterhaus – that's not only Gauthier Dance! Autumn will see the première of Greyhounds by and with Egon Madsen, a piece exploring the lifelong adventure of dancing. The Company Coach of Gauthier Dance and star soloist during the golden years of the Stuttgart Ballet has mustered the support of some famous colleagues:
Marianne Kruuse: Born in Denmark, she was a member of John Cranko's legendary Stuttgart ensemble where she also got to know John Neumeier. She followed him to Frankfurt and later to Hamburg. Neumeier created 24 important parts for her including Julia in Romeo and Juliet, Marie in The Nutcracker and Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream. After the end of her active dancing career she changed to The School of The Hamburg Ballet, first as a pedagogue and subsequently Deputy Director. She retired at the end of the season 2012/2013.
Julia Krämer: She was educated at the John Cranko School and danced with the world-famous company of her home city for 16 seasons, finally as first soloist. Her repertoire comprised leading roles in Cranko's classic ballets as well as contemporary productions. She now works as a dance educator, occasionally also with her old company.
Thomas Lempertz: Another home-grown Stuttgart talent, he trained at the John Cranko School and rose fast in the ranks of the Stuttgart ensemble, finally as a soloist. In 2004 he realised his alternative dream and set up his own fashion studio under the label Goldknopf Couture.
Egon Madsen is very much a living legend. As Mercutio, Lensky, Joker or one of the original four inititials in John Cranko's R.B.M.E. – Madsen was amongst the defining dancers of the John Cranko era. Right from the beginning, he was closely associated with Gauthier Dance and Eric Gauthier: as the whimsical old gentleman in Christian Spuck's hugely successful Don Q., side by side with his young companion Eric Gauthier, which provided the decisive impetus for the foundation of the company. And until today as Company Coach for the Dance Company Theaterhaus Stuttgart.
Greyhounds combines the biographies of the four dancers with world premières by Marco Goecke, Mauro Bigonzetti, Eric Gauthier and Amos Ben-Tal as well as John Neumeier's early work Separate Journeys which was created in Stuttgart – and will be presented by Egon Madsen and Marianne Kruuse in a special Greyhounds version. The common thread is the reflection on dancing – and life after dancing. Eric Gauthier will contribute a group scene for all four protagonists, the other world premières are solos and draw on past collaborations: Amos Ben-Tal is to create the intro piece – he and Madsen have known each other since they were both members of NDT. The solo for Thomas Lempertz is by Marco Goecke, Julia Krämer's by Mauro Bigonzetti. Taken together, these cross-connections and personal stories will make for the particular charm of Greyhounds.
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