Career

Gregor Seyffert is without a doubt one of the most interesting and expressive dancers of his generation. An artist at the zenith of his career—his appointment as Kammertänzer [dancer-laureate] in October 1999 represents but a further highlight in a biography that reads like a dancer's wish list: in 1986, while still a student of Prof. Martin Puttke at the Berlin State Ballet School, he won the Prix de Lausanne d'Or, one of the most coveted prizes for young dance students. After graduation, he proceeded directly to a solo engagement at the Comic Opera in Berlin—a great exception even in GDR times, since the prevailing rule for recent graduates strictly called for them to put in their years of service in the corp de ballet before they could turn to solo work. Here, Seyffert encountered the founder of the GDR dance-theater, the choreographer Tom Schilling. The latter worked out with him a multifarious repertoire of diverse roles, in which Seyffert continues to this day to enthral his audience with expressive character development and breathtaking technique. His youthfully playful interpretation of Romeo, the humorous Match—a relationship duel on the tennis court—or Sleeping Beauty, in which he sweeps over the stage like a whirlwind as the evil, androgynous Carabosse: Seyffert's multifaceted powers of representation appear to know no bounds. And in abstract roles, as well—in François Raffinot's Au delà, for instance—he shines with his refined, almost acrobatic-like technique, and an extraordinarily powerful, expressive stage presence.

Outside the opera, Gregor Seyffert works closely together with his father Dietmar, a choreographer and professor for choreography at the Ernst Busch College Berlin. In 1990, the latter created for him the 37-minute solo God's Clown. The piece thematizes the trials and tribulations of the dancer Vaslav Nijinsky, who spent the last 30 years of his life sunk in the fogs of derangement, and shows his desperate struggle against insanity. It lets Seyffert venture far beyond his physical and psychological limits. And the duo Seyffert/Seyffert—together with the company Gregor Seyffert & Compangnie, founded in 1996—has continually had brilliant success with this solo both in Germany and abroad. In 1996, they were invited to represent Germany's cultural contribution at the Olympic Games in Atlanta. In 1997, Gregor Seyffert received the Prix Benois de la Danse/Unesco—the Oscar of dance, which crowned him as the world's best dancer. In October 1999, Berlin Culture Senator Peter Radunski awarded him the title of Kammertänzer—the highest honour that can be bestowed on a dancer in Germany.

Gregor Seyffert's expressiveness, his readiness to push his physical and emotional boundaries, his ability to meld into the role, and the extraordinary vividness with which he embodies his characters are all essential components of his artistic quality, and make him one of the most outstanding dancers of his generation.

Vita

1967	born in Berlin
1978 - 1987	State Balletschool Berlin, Masterclass by Prof. Martin Puttke
1986	International Ballet Competition Lausanne/Switzerland, First prize and winner of the „Grand Prix de Lausanne d’Or“ with the goldmedal
1987	German National Ballet Competition Dessau, goldmedal and Prize of the City Dessau Engagement at the Komische Oper Berlin as Soloist Prize of the German TV as Germanys favourite dancer German National Ballet Competition Dessau, goldmedal and Prize of the City Dessau
1987 - 1988	Diverse solos for German Entertainment TV shows
1988	Worked with American Ballet Theatre in New York, Direction: Michael Baryshnikov
1991	Promoted to Principal Dancer at the Komische Oper Berlin
1994	First prize as Best Partner by the Jackson/USA Ballet Competition First prize as Best Partner by the Varna/Bulgaria Ballet Competition
1995	Nominated „Prix Benois de la Danse“ as best International Artistic Achievement 1994, awarded in the Bolschoi Theatre, Moscow Guest at the „World Stars Gala“, State Opera House Prague
1996	Stage set and costume design „Back Home“ for the San Francisco Ballet USA Gregor Seyffert & Compagnie is the German cultural contribution to the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, USA Stage set and costume design „Heimkehr“ for the Deutsche Oper Berlin Production of TV documentation „The Clown of God“ Guest at the „World Stars Gala“, State Opera House Prague
1997	Acting debut as Garcia Lorca in „Lorcas Death“, produced by Manfred Karge Winner of the „Prix Benois de la Danse“ for best International Artistic Achievement 1996 for Woyzeck in the ballet „Franz Woyzeck“ Guest of Honour by the „World Stars Gala“, State Opera House Prague
1998	Leading actor for the International GALA-Presentation at SONY-CENTER Berlin GALA-Presentation for the German Dance Price Award 1998, Essen
1999	Awarded as „Berliner Kammertänzer“ Guest of Honour by the „Prix Benois de la Danse“ at the State Opera Berlin Solo-Presentation for the International Ballet Gala Hannover TV documentation „Gregor Seyffert - Ein Tänzer auf Achse“ (Deutsche Welle TV)
2000 / 2001	Guest-works as freelance artist since season 2000/2001 at the Komische Oper Berlin Nomination as Vice president of the Nacional Committee of CID-UNESCO projects / productions: „7 deadly sins“ - Kurt-Weill-Fest Dessau „The Creation“ - International Music Festival Dresden „I’m a Berliner“ - Media-Mime, Parochialkirche Berlin „Orpheus“ - Aalto-Theater Essen
2002	Awarded with the Deutsche Kritikerpreis for dance 2002 Nomination as Artistic Director of the State Ballet School Berlin TV-production "Clown of god" (WDR/ORB broadcast station)
2003	Awarded with the German Dance Prize 2003
2004	Nomination to the Artistic director of GREGOR SEYFFERT COMPAGNIE DESSAU / Anhaltisches Theater

 

Awards

1986	International Ballet Competition Lausanne/Switzerland, First prize and winner of the „Grand Prix de Lausanne d’Or“ with the goldmedal
1987	German National Ballet Competition Dessau, goldmedal and Prize of the City Dessau Prize of the German TV as Germanys favourite dancer German National Ballet Competition Dessau, goldmedal and Prize of the City Dessau
1991	Promoted to Principal Dancer at the Komische Oper Berlin
1994	First prize as Best Partner by the Jackson/USA Ballet Competition First prize as Best Partner by the Varna/Bulgaria Ballet Competition
1995	Nominated „Prix Benois de la Danse“ as best International Artistic Achievement 1994, awarded in the Bolschoi Theatre, Moscow Guest at the „World Stars Gala“, State Opera House Prague
1997	Winner of the Prix Benois de la Danse-Unesco for best International Artistic Achievement 1996 for Woyzeck in the ballet „Franz Woyzeck“
1998	Leading actor for the International GALA-Presentation at SONY-CENTER Berlin GALA-Presentation for the German Dance Price Award 1998, Essen
1999	Awarded as "Berliner Kammertänzer"
2002	Awared with the Deutsche Kritikerpreis for dance 2002
2003	Awarded with German Dance Price 2003

 

Solo dancer

• "Swan Lake", Premiere: November 2000, Komische Oper Berlin

• "7 deadly sins", UA: March 2001, Kurt-Weill-Fest Dessau

• "The creation", UA: May 2001, International music festival Dresden

• "I'm a Berliner" - Multi-Media-Mime, UA: August 2001, Parochial chirch Berlin

• "Orpheus", Premiere: September 2001 on the occasion of award German Dance Price in Aalto-Theatre Essen

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