Dr. Aschengreen speaks about Bournonville, Jan.12 at Scandinavia House
Company:
Scandinavia House and The Joyce Theater
DR. ERIK ASCHENGREEN, AUTHOR OF 'DANCING ACROSS THE ATLANTIC'
Will Speak at Scandinavia House, Monday January 12th
on "August Bournonville and the Danish Joy of Dance"
A co-presentation of Scandinavia House and The Joyce Theater
Monday January 12 at 6:30 PM, followed by a reception
Scandinavia House, Volvo Hall, 58 Park Avenue (38th Street)
Admission: free
For Information call 212.779.3587
Renowned Danish ballet critic and historian Dr. Erik Aschengreen, author of Dancing Across the Atlantic: USA - Denmark 1900-2014, the stunning history in words and photos of the Royal Danish Ballet at home and in the United States, will speak about "August Bournonville and the Danish Joy of Dance," at Scandinavia House, January 12 at 6:30 PM, followed by a reception and book signing. The event is a co-presentation of Scandinavia House and The Joyce Theater (where principal dancers from the Royal Danish Ballet will appear January 13-18).
The warm, witty, and entertaining Aschengreen, known as "the Grand Old Man" of Danish ballet history and dance journalism,will focus on Danish ballet master and choreographer August Bournonville (1805-79), who raised the Royal Danish Ballet to an international level of ability while at the same time giving it a unique national quality, which remains to this day its distinctive characteristic. The authoritative Dr. Aschengreen will speak about the Bournonville dances, style, and how the Bournonville tradition has been preserved from generation to generation. The choreographer believed in a world of meaning, order and harmony in mind and dance. His ballets are distinguished by their positive outlook with sometimes hard-won, but always happy, endings.
Dr. Aschengreen earned his PH.D. with his thesis Jean Cocteau and the Dance from the University of Copenhagen in 1986. From 1969 to 2000 he was professor at the University of Copenhagen, where he founded the discipline of dance aesthetics and history department in 1989. From 1964 to 2004, Aschengreen was also the dance critic for the Danish newspaper Berlingske Tidende. He has lectured around the world on Bournonville and the Romantic ballet tradition and is author of numerous ballet books, the latest being the 2014 Dancing Across the Atlantic, USA - Denmark 2900-2014, a superb and comprehensive history of the renowned company that he has watched for over sixty years, and its close and longstanding relationship to the U.S. dance world. The book has been published by the Royal Danish Theatre and the American Friends of the Royal Danish Ballet.
In his January 12th lecture, Dr. Aschengreen will also include an overview of The Joyce Theater's program The Royal Danish Ballet: Principals and Soloists, which runs January 13-18, and consists of excerpts from La Sylphide (1832), Napoli (1842), The Conservatory (1849), A Folk Tale (1854), The Flower Festival in Genzano (1858) and From Siberia to Moscow (1876).
www.scandinaviahouse.org
www.joyce.org
