TODAY 90 YEARS AGO, Hans van Manen was born in Nieuwer-Amstel in North Holland and is now considered a grand master of contemporary ballet with over 150 choreographies to his name. In 1955 he created his first piece and five years later began to work mainly with the two most renowned companies in the Netherlands: the Nederlands Dans Theater and the Dutch National Ballet, which he significantly influenced as resident choreographer for many years. Beyond the Netherlands, the Stuttgart Ballet has one of the largest Van Manen repertoires. Marcia Haydée initiated the collaboration and was able to win his pieces for the Stuttgart stage from 1981 onwards. This was followed by world premieres that the choreographer created especially for the Stuttgart Ballet. All his mostly short pieces are characterized by clear lines and simple elegance. Hans van Manen avoids frills and frous and instead creates profound tension. With an extraordinarily fine musicality, his works center on human relationships without telling anecdotal stories.

Photo: © Sebastian Galtier