Danish Dance Theatre is the largest modern dance compagnie in Denmark. The company was founded in 1981 by Randi Patterson, an English/Norwegian choreographer and innovator of modern dance. By creating Danish Dance Theatre, the longstanding dance monopoly of The Royal Theatre was hereby broken.
Danish Dance Theatre has been considered the flagship of modern dance since the beginning. Especially during the early years, stories and literary sources have often been a central role in the inspiration and creation of the company`s performances. The company often collaborates with well-known writers, visual artists and composers and the music often ranges from classical masterpieces to jazz, rock and new compositions.
These are some of the features that have characterized the style of the company during Patterson's leadership, as well as for her successors the American Warren Spears and the Dane Anette Abildgaard.
Tim Rushton, the present Artistic Director and primary choreographer of the company, strives to unite the many forms of traditional classical arts with the modern. This has gained him both international attention and recognition. By combining his artistic abilities with an incredible insight he is able to unite modern dance, ballet, music and the visual arts. In this way he demonstrates the unique ability to visualise the nuances of human relationships - this is what characterizes Tim Rushton and his works.
Today the company has achieved the same level of respect as a cultural institution for modern dance, as The Royal Danish Ballet has for classical ballet.
The company consists of dancers handpicked from around the world, all selected to fit the company's high artistic and technical standards.
Danish Dance Theatre receives an annual operating subsidy from the Ministry of Culture. Since the company’s funding represents approximately half the financial support that other comparable Nordic companies receive, it is necessary to have additional financial backing from private companies, foundations and endowments.
Until 2005, Danish Dance Theatre was a touring company with no permanent stage. In 2005, the company moved to Folketeatret.dk in Copenhagen, where they had both a permanent stage and dance studio. In November 2009, the company moved from Folketeatret.dk to www.dansehallerne.dk and together with Dansescenen and Dansens Hus they are now situated on the former site of Carlsberg Brewery. Danish Dance Theatre continues to have many engagements; between national touring, international touring and stationary performances, the company annually conducts between 60-80 performances.
Besides touring and several stationary performances in Copenhagen, the company is also famous for two annual open air events. “Copenhagen Summer Dance” takes place i The Copenhagen Police Headquarters and runs for one week in August. The picnic-performances “Spring Dance at Carlsberg” during the two first weekends of June.
The company's Artistic Director Tim Rushton has been nominated 9 times for Best Dance Performance of the Year at the Danish Theatre Awards, “Reumert”. He has received this very prestigious Reumert Award 4 times; in 1999 for Busy Being Blue, in 2005 for Chalk, in 2006 for Requiem and in 2009 for Labyrinth. In 2010, Danish Dance Theatre received the Reumert Award for Frost, choreographed by Tina Tarpgaard.
In addition, Tim Rushton has received many other awards. In 2006 he received the Teaterkatten (Theatrecat) award as best director, a title awarded by “The Association of Danish Theatre Journalists”. In 2007 he received the “National Arts Foundation Award” for exceptional works of art for the 2006 performance Requiem. In 2008 he received “The Danish Arts Society” award and in 2009 “The Wilhelm Hansen Foundation” award.
Danish Dance Theatres artistic director Tim Rushton, has in 2011 been honoured with the British MBE - Member of the Order of the British Empire - for his outstanding work for modern dance.
Since Tim Rushton came to Danish Dance Theatre in 2001, the company has quadrupled the number of audience members. His works have been characterized to have a public appeal that is fairly unique in the Danish theatre world, an artistic experience which both dance critics, as well as the public agree upon.
Adi Amit Luca Marazia Stina Mårtensson
Dancers
Alessandro Sousa Pereira
Brazilian. Born 1983. Educated at Galpao 1 Dance School in Indaiatuba, Saö Paulo. In 1999 he danced at Lina Pentiado Danca Cia. In the year 2000 he danced at Bahia Ballet (Ballet do Teatro CastroAlves). In the year of 2002 at Tanz Graz in Austria. In the period of 2003 – 2007 he was engaged at Ballet Theatre Munich under the direction of Philip Taylor. He has been working with choreographers like Carolyn Carlson, Jirí Kylián and Richard Alston. Alessandro Sousa Pereira started as dancer at Dansk Danseteater July 2007.
Luca Marazia
Italian. Born 1979. He is educated at the Rome Opera Dance School under direction of Elisabetta Terabust and at the École-Atelier Rudra Béjart in Lausanne, Switzerland. During his education he danced with the Rome Opera Ballet and with the Béjart Ballet. From 1998 to 2005 he was dancing at the Nürnberg Ballet. He has danced under the choreographic direction of William Forsythe, Jo Stromgren, Stijm Celis, Nicolo Fonte, Daniela Kurz, Jo Kanamati, Rui Horta, Javier de Frutos and Russel Maliphant. Luca Marazia started as a full time dancer at the Danish Dance Theatre in the summer of 2005.
Nelson Rodriquez-Smith
Born in Colombia in 1972. Educated at Stockholms Ballet Akademi, the School of Contemporary Dance in Copenhagen and at the Dance Academy in Rotterdam. Danced at Skånes Dansteater in Malmö, Nyt Dansk Danseteater (the former Danish Dance Theatre), Ballet Gulbenkian in Lisbon and did projects with Ohad Naharin in Sweden, Kristoffer Pedersen in Denmark and Bruno Listopad in The Netherlands. Nelson Rodriquez-Smith started - again - at Dansk Danseteater in July 2007.
Stina Mårtensson
Swedish. Born 1978. She is educated at Balettakademien, Stockholm 1998 - 2000. Stina Mårtensson has danced at Adekwhat – Philipe Blanchard, Skånes Dansteater, Granhøj Dans and Sofie Christiansen. Stina Mårtensson was engaged at Danish Dance Theatre in the spring of 2003.
Maxim-Jo Beck McGosh
Danish. Born 1981. Educated at the Danish National School of Contemporary Dance in Copenhagen. Maxim-Jo Beck McGosh has worked with Recoil Performance Group – Tina Tarpgaard, Granhøj Dance – Palle Granhøj, Marie Brolin-Tani, Virpi Pahkinen, and Helena Franzén. She joined Danish Dance Theatre in 2010.
Minna Berglund
Swedish. Born 1986. Educated at Skolen for Moderne Dans in June 2009. Has danced for Lilla Baletten and D Company in Stockholm. Started as dancer at the Danish Dance Theatre in July 2009.
Ana Sendas
Portugese. Born 1977. Educated at Academia de Dança Contemporânea de Setúbal in Portugal in 1994. Danced at Göteborg’s Opera Ballet, Ballet Gulbenkian in Lissabon, Ballet Theater Augsburg in Tyskland and at Galili Dance Company in The Netherlands. Started as dancer at the Danish Dance Theatre in July 2009.
Nassim Meki
Swedish. Born 1987 in Syria. Educated at the Royal Swedish Ballet School in Gothenburg and Stockholm. Nassim Meki has worked with Recoil Performance Group – Tina Tarpgaard, Det Unge Danskompagni – Marie Brolin-Tani, Tim Rushton, Virpi Pahkinen, Didy Veldman, and Mats Ek. She joined Danish Dance Theatre in 2010.
Adi Amit
Born in 1983, Israeli. Educated in Rotterdam Dance Academy, Codarts in the Netherlands. Worked with Kamuyot by Ohad Naharin – a collaboration with Bat-Sheva Dance Company and Riksteatern Sweden, Kolben Dance Company, and many other projects in the Netherlands. Adi Amit started as dancer at Dansk Danseteater July 2010.
Tina Møller
Born in Denmark in 1976. Educated at Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Leeds. Worked with Veronika Riz Dance Company, Kim Brandstrup, Yael Asher Yaary, Aletta Collins & Mirjam Gurtner. Tina Møllers started as dancer at Dansk Danseteater July 2010.
Milou Nuyens
Born in Amsterdam in 1985. Educated in The Netherlands. Worked with Staatstheater Darmstadt under direction of Mei Hong Lin, Landestheater Linz under direction of Jochen Ulrich, Campany Nanine Linning and Intro Dans under direction of Roel Vorintholt. Milou Nuyens started as dancer at Dansk Danseteater July 2010.
Stefanos Bizas
Born in Greece in 1979. Educated at London Contemporary Dance School at The Place. Worked with The National Dance Company Wales. Works by Itzik Galili, Andonis Foniadakis, Stijn Celis, Stephen Petronio, Joanne Fong, Stephen Shropshire, Viivi Keskinen, Juan Carlos Garcia and Roy Campbell-Moore. Stefanos Bizas started as dancer at Dansk Danseteater July 2010.
Björn Nilsson
Born in Sweden in 1985. Educated at London Studio Center. Worked with Det Unge Dansekompagni under direction of Marie Brolin-Tani. Works by MBT, Mats Ek and Didy Veldman. Björn Nilsson started as dancer at Dansk Danseteater July 2010.
Owen Ridley-Demonick
English. Born 1988. Educated in the UK. He was part of the associate artist platform at the Bristol Old Vic, and has danced with Darkin Ensemble, Regina Weilingen, Itzak Galili, Darshan Singh Bhuller, Janet Smith, and Ross McKim. Owen Ridley-Demonick will join Danish Dance Theatre in 2010.
Fabio Liberti
Italian. Born 1981. Educated at Rotterdamse Dansacademie. Fabio Liberti has worked with AIEP – Ariella Vidarch, Theater Saint Gallen, Stadttheater Hildesheim, Conny Janssen Danst, and Balletto Teatro di Torino. He will join Danish Dance Theatre in 2010.
Erik Nyberg
Swedish. Born 1990. Educated at the Royal Swedish Ballet School. He has worked with Det Unge Danskompagni, Tim Rushton, Marie Brolin-Tani, Virpi Pahkinen, Johan Inger and Alexander Ekman. Erik Nyberg joined Danish Dance Theatre in 2010.
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