TODAY 77 YEARS AGO Birgit Keil was born in the former Sudetenland. After graduating from the ballet school of the Württemberg State Theatres, John Cranko engaged her at the Stuttgart Ballet. There she became one of the most important dancers of the “Stuttgart Ballet Miracle”. In 1965 she was promoted to Principal Dancer and in 1980 she was awarded the national title “Kammertänzerin”. Not only Cranko but also Jiří Kylián, Hans van Manen, Kenneth MacMillan, William Forsythe and others were inspired by her outstanding talent, technique and interpretation. Although she became famous as a classical dancer, choreographers also created modern pieces with her. Internationally known as "German Ballerina", she retired from the stage in 1995 after an extraordinarily long and fruitful career. Shortly afterwards, she founded the Birgit Keil Dance Foundation to promote young dancers and choreographers. From 1997 she directed the Academy of Dance at the State University of Music and Performing Arts in Mannheim. Furthermore, she became Artistic Director of the Ballet of the State Theatre in Karlsruhe in 2003. Together with her long-time life and dance partner Vladimir Klos she directed the company until 2019. Happy birthday Birgit!
Photo: Birgit Keil in William Forsythe‘s Orpheus, together with Vladimir Klos in John Cranko‘s Swan Lake and in John Cranko‘s Onegin, © Leslie E. Spatt
Photo: Birgit Keil in William Forsythe‘s Orpheus, together with Vladimir Klos in John Cranko‘s Swan Lake and in John Cranko‘s Onegin, © Leslie E. Spatt
Comments