50 Jahre Hamburg Ballett John Neumeier. Bilder einer Ära

Almost 60 years ago, I got to know John Neumeier in Stuttgart. Both of
us had a job there and we immediately got along very well. So, he created
the lead roles for me in his first ballets, Aria da Capo, Haiku and
Separate Journeys.
From the beginning, I was fascinated by his passion, dedication, and
boundless energy. For him, it was and still is very important that all
steps are related to deep and true emotions – he has always refused to
accept anything superficial or just virtuosic. A typical example is his
first dramatic ballet, Romeo and Juliet, in which everything is expressed
through dance, without any hints at pantomime that had often been
used in classical ballets. The choreographies he invents together with
his dancers are developed from the emotional truth of situations among
human beings (and what they communicate is often deeply moving).
Working with great accuracy and patience, he knows how to unveil and
develop the hidden talents of individual artists. Within 50 years, the
company has matured into a group of very different personalities
that, as an ensemble, displays great spiritual strength. In April 2022,
I experienced this effect at a performance of Saint Matthew Passion, an
extensive work now being performed by the third and fourth generation
of dancers.
Standing with John in the studio as he creates is an extraordinary situation,
as his visions and convictions inspire everyone. I am incredibly proud to
have been part of his company during its first decade. He created Juliet,
Marie, Helena and many other roles for me, and I was fortunate to have
wonderful dance partners such as Max Midinet and Kevin Haigen. John
discovered and encouraged something special within me, something
I would never have dreamt of. And this is what many dancers experience
whose individual talent is identified and developed by him.
August Everding appointed him Ballet Director in Hamburg and there
we soon conquered the audiences’ sympathies, thanks also to John’s
unique Ballet Workshops in which he has introduced more than
350,000 individual spectators to the world of dance. Starting in 1973,
the first ten years in Hamburg formed the foundation of his work,
including ever-new creations and tours all over the world.
After ending my career as a dancer, I kept close contact to John’s work
and his basic understanding of the art of ballet: I became Pedagogical
Principal of his Ballet School. Within two decades, I had many opportunities
to pass on his special and unique convictions, to impart what
dance means to him.
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