Ib Andersen
Encyclopedia
Ib Andersen is a Danish
dancer and choreographer. He is currently the artistic director of Ballet Arizona
in Phoenix
, Arizona
.
Internationally admired as both a dancer and choreographer, Andersen’s contribution to the world of dance is the product of a journey through multiple influences. A journey which began with his formal European training at one of the World’s most prestigious ballet schools and continued to his maturation at the hands of George Balanchine. The end result is a world renowned artist who is comfortable flirting with both the Classical and Contemporary aesthetic of modern day ballet.
Born in 1954 in Copenhagen, Denmark, Andersen's first exposure to dance was through ballroom dancing. At age seven, he was accepted into the School of Royal Danish Ballet
. His ascendancy was quick - at 16 he was asked to join the Royal Danish Ballet and became a principal dancer for this world-class company at age 20 (in 1972), participating in some of the most important ballet repertoire. Andersen’s career flourished in Denmark and throughout Europe.
In 1980, Andersen joined the New York City Ballet
on George Balanchine
’s invitation, and was on his way to learning 35 ballets within the first three months of his tenure there. So successful at adapting himself to the Balanchine style, the great choreographer created principal roles for him in Ballade (1980), Robert Schumann's Davidsbündlertänze (1980), and Mozartiana (1981) Other choreographers such as Jerome Robbins also created roles for his unique style.
He received his first commission from the Royal Danish Ballet in 1987: 1-2-3-1-2. Baroque Variations (1988) and Fête Galante (1989) soon followed.
Since his departure from the New York City Ballet in 1990, Andersen has been teaching, staging works by George Balanchine
, August Bournonville
, Michel Fokine
, Jerome Robbins
, and others, and creating works of his own.
As a member of the Balanchine Trust, Andersen is part of a select group of individuals permitted to stage ballets by the great master worldwide; the Trust is an independent organization which was formed to oversee the licensing and production of Balanchine works.
His international background led him to create works in countries such as Slovenia (The New World, 1981), Belgium (Carnaval, 1982), Norway (Holberg Suite, 1993), Japan (Simple Symphony, 1993), Canada (Wave, 1994) and the U.S. (Brandenburg Concerti, 1994; Rhapsody Concerto, 1994; Thyra, 1995; XII Men, 1996).
In addition to his dance career, Andersen is an accomplished visual artist who dabbles in various mediums of abstract painting.
After his tenure with Pittsburgh Ballet as Ballet Master, Andersen moved to Arizona to be among the locale’s dramatic scenery and colors. Soon after, in the summer of 2000, he accepted the position of Artistic Director for Ballet Arizona. He oversees a season which combines the classical and contemporary in a way which only someone with his background can bring to life.
Ib Andersen was a featured dancer in the Danish documentary At danse Bournonville (English title: Dancing Bournonville, 1979) and performed leading roles in the video of George Balanchine's Robert Schumann's Davidsbündlertänze and television broadcasts of Peter Martins' Valse Triste (1991) and Concerto for Two Solo Pianos (1983) and George Balanchine's A Midsummer Night's Dream (as Oberon, 1986) and Mozartiana (1983). He also appears in archival footage in the documentary Jerome Robbins: Something to Dance About.
In 2004 Andersen and members of Ballet Arizona participated in the "Works & Process
" series at the Guggenheim Museum.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
dancer and choreographer. He is currently the artistic director of Ballet Arizona
Ballet Arizona
Ballet Arizona is a professional ballet company in Phoenix, Arizona directed by Ib Andersen. The company was created in 1986 by a merger of three smaller Arizonan dance companies that were struggling to survive...
in Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
.
Internationally admired as both a dancer and choreographer, Andersen’s contribution to the world of dance is the product of a journey through multiple influences. A journey which began with his formal European training at one of the World’s most prestigious ballet schools and continued to his maturation at the hands of George Balanchine. The end result is a world renowned artist who is comfortable flirting with both the Classical and Contemporary aesthetic of modern day ballet.
Born in 1954 in Copenhagen, Denmark, Andersen's first exposure to dance was through ballroom dancing. At age seven, he was accepted into the School of Royal Danish Ballet
Royal Danish Ballet
The Royal Danish Ballet is one of the oldest ballet companies in the world. Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, it originates from 1748, when the Royal Danish Theatre was founded, and was finally organized in 1771 in response to the great popularity of French and Italian styles of dance...
. His ascendancy was quick - at 16 he was asked to join the Royal Danish Ballet and became a principal dancer for this world-class company at age 20 (in 1972), participating in some of the most important ballet repertoire. Andersen’s career flourished in Denmark and throughout Europe.
In 1980, Andersen joined the New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Leon Barzin was the company's first music director. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company...
on George Balanchine
George Balanchine
George Balanchine , born Giorgi Balanchivadze in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to a Georgian father and a Russian mother, was one of the 20th century's most famous choreographers, a developer of ballet in the United States, co-founder and balletmaster of New York City Ballet...
’s invitation, and was on his way to learning 35 ballets within the first three months of his tenure there. So successful at adapting himself to the Balanchine style, the great choreographer created principal roles for him in Ballade (1980), Robert Schumann's Davidsbündlertänze (1980), and Mozartiana (1981) Other choreographers such as Jerome Robbins also created roles for his unique style.
He received his first commission from the Royal Danish Ballet in 1987: 1-2-3-1-2. Baroque Variations (1988) and Fête Galante (1989) soon followed.
Since his departure from the New York City Ballet in 1990, Andersen has been teaching, staging works by George Balanchine
George Balanchine
George Balanchine , born Giorgi Balanchivadze in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to a Georgian father and a Russian mother, was one of the 20th century's most famous choreographers, a developer of ballet in the United States, co-founder and balletmaster of New York City Ballet...
, August Bournonville
August Bournonville
August Bournonville was a Danish ballet master and choreographer. August was the son of Antoine Bournonville, a dancer and choreographer trained under the French choreographer, Jean Georges Noverre, and the nephew of Julie Alix de la Fay, née Bournonville, of the Royal Swedish Ballet.August was...
, Michel Fokine
Michel Fokine
Michel Fokine was a groundbreaking Russian choreographer and dancer.-Biography:...
, Jerome Robbins
Jerome Robbins
Jerome Robbins was an American theater producer, director, and choreographer known primarily for Broadway Theater and Ballet/Dance, but who also occasionally directed films and directed/produced for television. His work has included everything from classical ballet to contemporary musical theater...
, and others, and creating works of his own.
As a member of the Balanchine Trust, Andersen is part of a select group of individuals permitted to stage ballets by the great master worldwide; the Trust is an independent organization which was formed to oversee the licensing and production of Balanchine works.
His international background led him to create works in countries such as Slovenia (The New World, 1981), Belgium (Carnaval, 1982), Norway (Holberg Suite, 1993), Japan (Simple Symphony, 1993), Canada (Wave, 1994) and the U.S. (Brandenburg Concerti, 1994; Rhapsody Concerto, 1994; Thyra, 1995; XII Men, 1996).
In addition to his dance career, Andersen is an accomplished visual artist who dabbles in various mediums of abstract painting.
After his tenure with Pittsburgh Ballet as Ballet Master, Andersen moved to Arizona to be among the locale’s dramatic scenery and colors. Soon after, in the summer of 2000, he accepted the position of Artistic Director for Ballet Arizona. He oversees a season which combines the classical and contemporary in a way which only someone with his background can bring to life.
Ib Andersen was a featured dancer in the Danish documentary At danse Bournonville (English title: Dancing Bournonville, 1979) and performed leading roles in the video of George Balanchine's Robert Schumann's Davidsbündlertänze and television broadcasts of Peter Martins' Valse Triste (1991) and Concerto for Two Solo Pianos (1983) and George Balanchine's A Midsummer Night's Dream (as Oberon, 1986) and Mozartiana (1983). He also appears in archival footage in the documentary Jerome Robbins: Something to Dance About.
In 2004 Andersen and members of Ballet Arizona participated in the "Works & Process
Works & Process
Works & Process at the Guggenheim is a performing-arts series at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City. Works & Process informs artistic creation through conversation and performance, and is presented in the Guggenheim’s Frank Lloyd Wright–designed Peter B...
" series at the Guggenheim Museum.
United States
- Brandenburg Concerti, 1994
- Rhapsody Concerto. 1994
- Thyra, 1995
- XII Men, 1996
- Mosaik, 2004
- Play, 2007
- Preludes and Fugues, 2008 [formerly Go With It, 2004]
- Dance of the Hours, 2008
- Diversions, 2010