Where the visions are coming from

Thierry Malandain

Resume: 43, dancer with Paris Opera Ballet, Ballet du Rhin and French Ballet Theater in Nancy, France. Choreographed for more than 16 companies from Marseille Ballet to the Opera of Cairo. Founded Compagnie Temps Present, 1986; became head of Ballet Biarritz, 1998.

Reviews: “ ‘Afternoon of a Faun’ ... was a whimsical and audacious vision of sensual awakening” -- Miami Herald, September 2002

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Angelin Preljocaj

Resume: 45, danced with Viola Farber, among others. Choreographed for Lyon Opera Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, New York City Ballet (Bessie Award: “La Stravaganza”). Founded Ballet Preljocaj, 1993.

Reviews: “Above all, he is not a bore. Highly cerebral, he is concerned with instinct, which is depicted in his work as atavistic or sexual.” -- New York Times, April 1997

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Mats Ek

Resume: 57, danced with and directed Stockholm’s Cullberg Ballet, which was founded by his mother, Birgit Cullberg; danced with Dusseldorf Ballet. Choreographed for Cullberg Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater, Lyon Opera Ballet.

Reviews: “ ... the Wizard of Twitch: the master of eccentric, high-speed body squiggles that link up in complex choreographic mosaics but always look spontaneous....” -- Los Angeles Times, November 1999