Cullbergbaletten begins an artistic collaboration with three selected choreographers, and changes its name

“In order to sharpen, deepen and develop the company’s artistic identity, we want to work exclusively with three choreographers. What unites them is that they individually have developed practices that form the basis of all their work. Their artistic proposals are original, risky, remarkable and personal. Their works are immersive, accessible and thought-provoking”, says Gabriel Smeets, artistic director of Cullberg.

First out is a not completely new work, but a restaging of Deborah Hay’s The Match for four dancers from 2005 with premiere at Tanz im August in Berlin this summer. Alma Söderberg’s first work for Cullberg – The Listeners – for eight dancers premieres in Umeå in collaboration with Norrlandsoperan in January next 2020 and Jefta van Dinther’s first new work for Cullberg will be a solo for big scenes; Solo for Suelem, premiere at Hau in Berlin, next fall.

Alma Söderberg
Alma Söderberg has studied at the Royal Swedish Ballet School, flamenco at Escuela de Danza de Matilde Coral in Seville, and graduated from SNDO in Amsterdam 2011. In recent years she has been based in Brussels and toured her works all over Europe. Her work is characterized by a strong connection between dance, music and voice. Sound and movement are always closely intertwined and an artistic exploration of these expressions is a fundamental base in Söderberg’s artistry. The collaboration with Cullberg also means stepping into a larger context for Alma Söderberg.

“The fourteen-year-old in me cannot believe that I will create for Cullberg. I have not had the ambition to create for a world-famous company, but when I received the invitation, I felt it was time for me to open up and share what I developed over the past ten years. Together with the dancers, I will work with the body as an instrument in the room. My works are rarely representative or narrative, what happens on stage is more like a concert, a musical exploration. The dancers will participate in creating the music they dance to live on stage. Listening is central, both to the silent movement and to the sounding, says Alma Söderberg about her work with Cullberg.

Jefta van Dinther
Jefta van Dinther’s first meeting with Cullberg was in autumn 2011 when he choreographed the company in The Way Things Go at Kulturhuset in Stockholm. Van Dinther then premiered the large-scale Plateau Effect 2013 which was his first work for many dancers and became his major breakthrough, was awarded prizes and presented at Scenkonstbiennalen in Malmö 2015. The success was followed up with Protagonist from 2016. Both works have toured extensively in Sweden and abroad.

“I have been part of Cullberg’s transformation process: following, accompanying and working with them towards who they are today. The soul of the company is conscientious, warm and fierce. For me personally the offer to be Associated Artist with Cullberg comes at a very good moment. I have been establishing my work in the freelance scene for the last 10 years. Many other offers have come from various companies, but I have always felt that my work wouldn’t thrive as it does with Cullberg. Cullberg gives artistic space, provides amazing working conditions, and tunes into the people they work with. To have the chance to get deeper and go further with them over these coming years is nothing but a privilege”, says Jefta van Dinther.

Deborah Hay
In autumn 2015, Deborah Hay created one of Cullberg’s most successful works in recent years – Figure a Sea to music by Laurie Anderson. The work was the first that Hay created for many dancers and also became a new breakthrough in her long career that began in the 1960s. Figure a Sea has been touring Europe and the US since its premiere and has been shown on prestigious festivals such as Montpellier and the Venice Biennale.

Digital archive
During April, a digital archive will be launched on Cullberg’s website. The archive presents a complete overview of the company’s works since its inception in 1967 and aims to provide information on Cullberg’s artistic history for research, studies and media. The archive will be continuously completed and updated and presents the works that are no longer on the repertoire.

New website
As of Thursday 21 March, Cullberg’s website will be located at www.cullberg.com.

For more information, please contact:
Erica Espling, PR and Marketing Manager Cullberg
+46 (0)70-602 27 01
erica.espling@cullberg.com