Karine Saporta
Encyclopedia
Karine Saporta is a French choreographer, dancer, photographer, and short film director. She is one of the most prominent figures in French dance.
Saporta was born in France to a mother of Russian ancestry and a Spanish father. She began dancing at the age of five, studying ballet at first, and attending the National Conservatory. She graduated with a degree in philosophy and a master's degree in sociology from the University of Paris
, then traveled to the United States
to study choreography and movement composition.
She founded the Compagnie Karine Saporta in order to redefine contemporary modern dance. Her choreography is influenced by Indian dance
and urban/hip hop dance
as well as other dance forms from around the world. She is also interested in improvisation.
She is a professor at the Art and Music Department of the University of Evry, president of the Dance Commission, vice-president of the Society of Dramatic Authors and Composers in France (SACD), and artistic director of choreographic performances at the Festival d'Avignon
.
She became Director of the Centre Choreographic National (CCN) of Caen
/Basse-Normandie
in 1989. She choreographed the dances in the 1991 Peter Greenaway
film Prospero's Books
. She has also choreographed to music by Michael Nyman
in her opera-ballet La Princesse de Milan.
She is a Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur.
Saporta was born in France to a mother of Russian ancestry and a Spanish father. She began dancing at the age of five, studying ballet at first, and attending the National Conservatory. She graduated with a degree in philosophy and a master's degree in sociology from the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
, then traveled to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to study choreography and movement composition.
She founded the Compagnie Karine Saporta in order to redefine contemporary modern dance. Her choreography is influenced by Indian dance
Indian dance
Dance in India covers a wide range of dance and dance theatre forms, from the ancient classical or temple dance to folk and modern styles.Three best-known Hindu deities, Shiva, Kali and Krishna, are typically represented dancing. There are hundreds of Indian folk dances such as Bhangra, Bihu,...
and urban/hip hop dance
Hip hop dance
Hip-hop dance refers to dance styles primarily performed to hip-hop music or that have evolved as part of hip-hop culture. It includes a wide range of styles notably breaking, locking, and popping which were created in the 1970s by African Americans and made popular by breaking, locking, and...
as well as other dance forms from around the world. She is also interested in improvisation.
She is a professor at the Art and Music Department of the University of Evry, president of the Dance Commission, vice-president of the Society of Dramatic Authors and Composers in France (SACD), and artistic director of choreographic performances at the Festival d'Avignon
Festival d'Avignon
The Festival d'Avignon, or Avignon Festival, is an annual arts festival held in the French city of Avignon. Founded in 1947 by Jean Vilar, it is the oldest extant festival in France and one of the world's greatest...
.
She became Director of the Centre Choreographic National (CCN) of Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
/Basse-Normandie
Basse-Normandie
Lower Normandy is an administrative region of France. It was created in 1956, when the Normandy region was divided into Lower Normandy and Upper Normandy...
in 1989. She choreographed the dances in the 1991 Peter Greenaway
Peter Greenaway
Peter Greenaway, CBE is a British film director. His films are noted for the distinct influence of Renaissance and Baroque painting, and Flemish painting in particular...
film Prospero's Books
Prospero's Books
Prospero's Books , written and directed by Peter Greenaway, is a cinematic adaptation of The Tempest, by William Shakespeare. John Gielgud is Prospero, the protagonist who provides the off-screen narration and the voices to the other story characters...
. She has also choreographed to music by Michael Nyman
Michael Nyman
Michael Laurence Nyman, CBE is an English composer of minimalist music, pianist, librettist and musicologist, known for the many film scores he wrote during his lengthy collaboration with the filmmaker Peter Greenaway, and his multi-platinum soundtrack album to Jane Campion's The Piano...
in her opera-ballet La Princesse de Milan.
She is a Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur.
External links
- Karine Saporta official site
- Karine Saporta intervew from The Hindu