The Ballett Kiel is a young company, consisting of ten women and nine men. Due to the diverse training backgrounds of the dancers, the ensemble is equally at home in classical, neoclassical and contemporary pieces. Every season, the Ballett Kiel produces two major premieres at the opera house, as well as one to two smaller premieres (“Young Choreographers”, pieces by guest choreographers) on other stages in the theatre. Performances also take place at other prominent venues in Kiel such as the Kunsthalle or as part of the ‘Summer in the Harbour’ event. In 2012/13, the Theater Kiel and the Theater Lübeck entered into a collaboration, which means that one ballet production of the Ballett Kiel is also shown in Lübeck (2012/13: “The Nutcracker”, 2014/15: “Swan Lake”, 2016/17: “Romeo and Juliet”, 2017/18: “Sleeping Beauty”). Aside from works by Yaroslav Ivanenko – e.g. Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” (2011/12), “Three Sisters” based on the play of the same name by Anton Chekov (2011/12), Verdi’s “Requiem” (2012/13, in collaboration with the Oper Kiel), “Swan Lake” (2013/14) or “Coppélia” (2016/17) – the Ballett Kiel’s repertoire also includes pieces by August Bournonville, Trey McIntyre and Can Arslan.
On the ensemble’s history
There is a long tradition of dance in Kiel. While his predecessors Stephan Thoss (1998-2001) and Mario Schröder (2001-10) focused on dance theatre, ballet director Yaroslav Ivanenko, together with his partner Heather Jurgensen as co-director and ballet mistress, has focused on building up a company that is versed in classical, neo-classical and contemporary styles since he took over the role in 2011. Every season, the company aims to introduce new aspects of theatrical dance to its audiences. Ivanenko’s distinct movement language, which ranges from subtly playful to powerfully acrobatic, is congenially combined with the dancers’ wide range of talents.
Yaroslav Ivanenko
Yaroslav Ivanenko was born in Kiev (Ukraine) and studied at the National Conservatory of the Arts in Kiev. After engagements in the Ukraine, Czech Republic and Slovakia, Yaroslav Ivanenko joined the HAMBURG BALLETT in 1998, where he danced a wide range of solo roles until the end of 2010. In the 2011/12 season, he was appointed ballet director and principal choreographer of the Ballett Kiel.
Ivanenko has received various prizes and awards for his choreographies, e.g. at the International Serge Lifar Competition in Kiev or the Prix Dom Perignon. Many of his pieces were developed in collaboration with chamber music ensembles such as the Vertavo String Quartet, the Ensemble Resonanz as well as the Ensemble Sarband and have been performed at music and dance festivals in Germany and abroad. He is warmly welcomed as a choreographer and dancer in England, Portugal, the Ukraine, Slovakia, Japan and the USA.
“The most exciting thing about a new piece is the many different interacting energies it contains. My company in Kiel consists of a wide range of dancers, who inspire me in my work and play a major role in every piece. Every new creation is an adventure, a path in a new direction that propels me and the dancers forward.”
Yaroslav Ivanenko
Productions from the 2019/2020 season
Eugen Onegin (2019)
Choreography: Yaroslav Ivanenko
Music: P. I. Tschaikowski
Philharmonisches Orchester Kiel
24 dancers, 2 background artists
Stage: 13x15m
Duration: 120 minutes
Drei Choreografen (2020)
Choreographies: Can Arslan, Antoine Jully, Yaroslav Ivanenko
19 dancers
Stage: ca 13x15m
Junge Choreografen (2020)
Choreographies: dancers of the Ballett Kiel
19 dancers
Stage: ca. 13x15m
Cinderella (2018)
Choreograophy: Yaroslav Ivanenko
Music: Sergej Prokofjew
Philharmonisches Orchester Kiel
23 dancers, 28 backgound artists
Stage: ca 13x15m
Duration: 140 minutes
Der Nussknacker (2011)
Choreography: Yaroslav Ivanenko
Music: P. I. Tschaikowski
Philharmonisches Orchester Kiel
23 dancers, 8 backgound artists
Stage: ca 13x15m
Duration: 120 minutes
Creations (2019)
Choreographies: Yaroslav Ivanenko, Georg Reischl
Music: Ezio Bosso, Max Richter, Kimmo Pohjonen, Vincent Glanzmann
19 dancers
Stage: ca 13x15m
Duration: 100 minutes
Coppélia (2016)
Choreography: Yaroslav Ivanenko
Music: Léo Delibes
Philharmonisches Orchester Kiel
21 dancers
Stage: ca 13x15m
Duration: 120 minutes
La Sylphide (1836/2017)
Choreography: August Bournonville
Music: Herman Løvenskiold
Philharmonisches Orchester der Hansestadt Lübeck
21 dancers, 9 background artists
Stage: ca 13x15m
Duration: 100 minutes
Productions from the 2017/2018 season
La Sylphide (1836/2017)
Choreography: August Bournonville, production: Peter Bo Bendixen, music: Herman Løvenskiold, Kiel Philharmonic
19 dancers (m/f), 1-2 guests (f), 9 extras (m/f), stage approx. 13x15m, duration 1h 10 min
Moving On (2018)
Choreography: Yaroslav Ivanenko, music: Antonin Comestaz, Ray Charles, Louis Armstrong, Charles Mingus, Connie Francis
19 dancers (m/f), stage approx. 13x15m
Schwanensee (1877/2013)
Choreography: Yaroslav Ivanenko, scenes in 2nd act: Lew Iwanow, music: Peter Tschaikowski, Kiel Philharmonic
19 dancers (m/f), 5-7 guests (m/f), 5 extras (m/f), stage approx. 13x15m, duration 2h 15 min
Dornröschen/Die schlafende Schöne (1890/2015)
Choreography: Yaroslav Ivanenko, after Marius Petipa, music: Peter Tschaikowski, Lübeck Philharmonic
19 dancers (m/f), 5-7 guests (m/f), 12 extras (m/f), stage approx. 13x15m, duration 2h 20min
Coppélia (1870/2016)
Choreography: Yaroslav Ivanenko, music: Léo Delibes, Kiel Philharmonic
19 dancers (m/f), 2 guests, stage approx. 13 x 15 m, duration approx. 1h 40 min
Traumfänger/ A day in the life (2007/2017)
Choreography: Trey McIntyre, Can Arslan, music: The Beatles, Plastikman, Alva Noto & Ryuichi Sakamoto
17 dancers (m/f), stage approx. 13 x 15 m, duration approx. 1h 10 min
Junge Choreografen (2017)
Choreography: dancers of the ensemble with own choreography, stage approx. 13 x 15 m
Ballettgala
Annual gala as part of “Kieler Woche”, with international guests
Productions from the 2016/2017 season
Der Nussknacker (1892/2011)
Choreography: Yaroslav Ivanenko, Music: Peter Tschaikowski, Kieler Philharmoniker
19 dancers, 2 guests, 3 extras, Stage ca. 13x15m, ca. 1h 40 min
Schwanensee (1877/2013)
Choreography: Yaroslav Ivanenko, Music: Peter Tschaikowski, Kieler Philharmoniker
19 dancers, 5-7 guests, 5 extras, Stage ca. 13x15m, 2h 15 min.
Romeo und Julia (1938/2014)
Choreography: Yaroslav Ivanenko, Music: Sergej Prokofjew, Kieler Philharmoniker
17 dancers, 6 guests, 8 extras, Stage ca. 13x15m, 2h 15min.
Dornröschen (1890/2015)
Choreography: Yaroslav Ivanenko, Music: Peter Tschaikowski, Kieler Philharmoniker
19 dancers (m/f), 5-7 guests (m/f), 12 extras (m/f), Stage ca. 13x15m, 2h 20min.
Coppélia (1870/2016)
Choreography: Yaroslav Ivanenko, Music: Léo Delibes, Kieler Philharmoniker
21 dancers (m/f), 2 guests (m/f), stage ca. 13 x 15 m, 1h 40 min
Dreamcatcher/A day in the life (2007/2017)
Choreography: Trey McIntyre, Can Arslan, Music: The Beatles, Plastikman, Alva Noto & Ryuichi Sakamoto
17 dancers (m/f), stage ca. 13 x 15 m, ca. 70 min
Skylla und Glaukos (1746)
Choreography: Lucinda Childs (Direction and Choreography), Music: Jean Marie Leclair, Kieler Philharmoniker
60 people therefrom 8 dancers (m/f), Stage ca. 13 x 15 m, 2h 20min
Junge Choreografen (2016)
Choreography: 7 Ensemble dancers, Music: Maurice Ravel, Charles Chaplin, Joby Talbot, Rene Aubry etc.
13 dancers (m/f), Stage ca. 13x15m, 50 min
Productions from the 2015/2016 season
Der Nussknacker (1892/2011)
Choreography: Yaroslav Ivanenko, Music: Peter Tschaikowski, Kieler Philharmoniker
19 dancers, 2 guests, 3 extras, Stage ca. 13x15m, ca. 1h 40 min
Drei Schwestern (2012)
Choreography: Yaroslav Ivanenko, Music: F. Schubert
15 dancers, 2 guests, 7 extras, stage 13 x 15 m, 1h 40 min.
Schwanensee (1877/2013)
Choreography: Yaroslav Ivanenko, Music: Peter Tschaikowski, Kieler Philharmoniker
19 dancers, 5-7 guests, 5 extras, Stage ca. 13x15m, 2h 15 min.
Romeo und Julia (1938/2014)
Choreography: Yaroslav Ivanenko, Music: Sergej Prokofjew, Kieler Philharmoniker 17 dancers, 6 guests, 8 extras, Stage ca. 13x15m, 2h 15min.
Heroes-K (2012)
Choreography: Marguerite Donlon, Music: David Bowie, Philipp Glass
13 dancers, stage 13 x 15 m,1h 5min.
Dornröschen (1890/2015)
Choreography: Yaroslav Ivanenko, Music: Peter Tschaikowski, Kieler Philharmoniker
19 dancers (m/f), 5-7 guests (m/f), 12 extras (m/f), Stage ca. 13x15m, 2h 20min.
Das Blaue Haus/On Spec (2016)
Choreography: Orkan Dann, Vivienne Hötger, Music: Peteris Vasks
Stage: 13x15m
Blame it on the Moondog (2015)
Choreography: Darrel Toulon, Music: The Base
Stage: ca. 13x15m
Orpheus und Eurydike (1762)
Choreography: Lucinda Childs, Music: Christoph Willibald Gluck, Kieler Philharmoniker
Stage: ca. 13x15m
Junge Choreografen (2016)
Choreography: Ensemble dancers
Stage ca. 13x15m
»Cinderella«
Interviews / Hintergründe
»La Sylphide«
Behind the scenes
»Der Nussknacker«
Making of
theaterKIEL
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