One of the most sought after choreographers in ballet, his inventive, versatile intelligence as alive in his staging of 19th century classics as it was in the creation of new abstract work.
Ratmansky evokes the overwhelming sensation that this is what ballet sounds like and what music looks like.
He has made his mark on classical works of nearly every description: long ballets; short ballets; story ballets; storyless ballets haunted by characters looking for a story; ballets that are formal constructions or moving architecture; ballets for opera.
Choreographer Alexei Ratmansky is at his best when making small, intricate dances with vivid lighting and simple décor. Given a tight space and a limited amount of stage time, he becomes a master jeweler who can etch the air with beautiful, precise patterns.
His ballets have a particular evolving magic: They not only present the dancers as awe-inspiring athletes but also as sentient individuals, even when they take the stage as elements of a larger choreographic design.
Ratmansky is a much sought after choreographer, admired on both sides of the Atlantic. His choreographic style is distinctly balletic and, unsurprisingly, he is also renowned also for his meticulous research into and incisive reconstruction of Petipa’s ballets. He translates the philosophical complexities of the discourse into dance that is similarly dexterous. Ratmansky uses the ballet vocabulary with great fluency, using an inclusive range of jumps, turns and steps, alternating lyrical with aggressively modern, as each tries to gain supremacy in the argument.
Dance Open 2018:
«Souvenir d'un lieu cher» performed by Dutch National Ballet
Dance Open 2016:
«Tanzsuite» performed by Semperoper Ballett Dresden
Alexei Ratmansky in his own words
Classical Ballet has always considered the epitome of beauty. However today the language that had been polishing for centuries is losing its meaning. It is essential to create new forms so that the dance won’t lose the connection with time.
As a dancer, I always had choreographer’s thoughts about how do I look at the text that I’m doing. It’s just exploring one thing from different sides.
I'm a classical choreographer; that's my background, although the experience I gained working with people like Neumeier, Twyla Tharp, Béjart, Mats Ek and Nacho Duato is invaluable.
A ballet, for me, begins with the music. Before the process starts, I listen to the music a million times. I play piano, but the best way for me is just to listen with earphones.
Classical dancing is a beautiful system. It's a result of the inspiration and work of many generations. Louis XIV was the beginning of it. It's a beautiful language that keeps developing. We don't know where it will go, but genetically, it carries the memories of all these people.
The origins of dance are simple emotions, like joy or sorrow. Dancing can express beautifully some things that we can't express with words, but very basic things.
I like dancers who know why they like dancing and fully and intelligently enjoy their choice with creativity and curiosity!