Jiří Kylián

Jiří Kylián (born 21 March 1947) is a Czech dance choreographer. Kylián studied in Prague and, at the age of 20, won a scholarship at the Royal Ballet School in London. He joined the Stuttgart Ballet in 1968 and worked under John Cranko, where he began to choreograph. Kylián became Artistic Director of Nederlands Dans Theatre in 1976. His style is very energetic and contemporary and his best known works include Symphony of Psalms (1978). In 1992, he started his own chamber company for dancers over 40. In 1993 and 1999, he was awarded the Prix Benois de la Danse as choreographer, one of the two only to receive it twice. Kylián's works primarily explore the 'why' of the universal themes. One senses that he uses his work as playgrounds for...