Maurice Béjart

Maurice Béjart
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Name	Maurice Béjart
Birth date	January 1, 1927
Birth place	Marseille, France
Death date	November 22, 2007
Death place	Lausanne, Switzerland
Occupation	Dancer, choreographer

Maurice Béjart was a renowned French-Swiss dancer and choreographer, known for his work with the Ballets Russes, Serge Diaghilev, and George Balanchine. He was heavily influenced by the Ballets Russes and worked with notable dancers such as Vaslav Nijinsky and Serge Lifar. Béjart's career spanned over five decades, during which he collaborated with prominent artists like Pina Bausch, Merce Cunningham, and John Cage. His work was also influenced by the Dada movement and the Surrealist art of Salvador Dalí and René Magritte.

● Early Life and Training

Maurice Béjart was born in Marseille, France, to a family of Greek and French descent. He began his dance training with Madame Rousanne Sarkissian and later studied with Léo Staats and Lubov Egorova at the Paris Opera Ballet. Béjart's early influences included the Russian ballet tradition, as well as the works of Igor Stravinsky and Serge Prokofiev. He also drew inspiration from the Bauhaus movement and the Expressionist art of Wassily Kandinsky and Kazimir Malevich. During his training, Béjart was exposed to the works of Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, and Charles Weidman, which would later influence his own choreographic style.

● Career

Béjart's professional career began in the 1940s, when he danced with the Ballets des Champs-Élysées and the Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas. He later worked with the Royal Ballet and the American Ballet Theatre, collaborating with notable choreographers like Frederick Ashton and Antony Tudor. In the 1950s, Béjart founded his own company, the Ballet-Theatre de Paris, which later became the Béjart Ballet Lausanne. He also worked with the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy, and the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow, Russia. Béjart's career was marked by collaborations with prominent composers, including Pierre Boulez, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Iannis Xenakis.

● Choreographic Style and Works

Béjart's choreographic style was characterized by its eclecticism and blend of different dance traditions, including ballet, modern dance, and jazz dance. His works often featured complex, abstract patterns and a strong emphasis on musicality, as seen in pieces like The Rite of Spring and Bolero. Béjart was also known for his collaborations with visual artists, such as Marc Chagall and Fernand Léger, who designed sets and costumes for his productions. His choreography was influenced by the Dada movement and the Surrealist art of Salvador Dalí and René Magritte, as well as the Cubist art of Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. Béjart's notable works include Symphonie pour un homme seul, Sonate pour deux pianos et percussion, and Messe pour le temps présent.

● Companies and Collaborations

Throughout his career, Béjart founded and directed several dance companies, including the Ballet-Theatre de Paris and the Béjart Ballet Lausanne. He also collaborated with other companies, such as the Nederlands Dans Theater and the Batsheva Dance Company. Béjart worked with prominent dancers, including Jorge Donn, Shigeru Nakamura, and Suzanne Farrell, and collaborated with notable choreographers like Pina Bausch and William Forsythe. His companies performed at various festivals, including the Festival d'Avignon and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and toured extensively throughout Europe, North America, and Asia.

● Legacy and Impact

Maurice Béjart's legacy is marked by his significant contributions to the development of modern and contemporary dance. He was awarded numerous honors, including the Praemium Imperiale and the Laurence Olivier Award. Béjart's influence can be seen in the work of choreographers like Akram Khan and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, who have been inspired by his eclectic and innovative approach to dance. His companies continue to perform his works, and his choreography remains a staple of the repertory of many dance companies, including the Paris Opera Ballet and the New York City Ballet. Béjart's impact on the world of dance is also evident in the work of visual artists, such as Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns, who have been influenced by his collaborations with artists like Marc Chagall and Fernand Léger. Category:Dance