The Ballett Lüneburg is comprised of ten soloists who combine a broad range of dance styles in their repertoire and presents four productions per season. Neoclassical forms of movement and modern contemporary dance are enhanced with dramatic elements in the group’s work. Creativity and personality are the special strengths of these dancers from ten countries, who, in spite of great artistic individuality, form a highly cohesive ensemble. The repertoire consists mainly of drama-based dance pieces that require differentiated presentation. Ballet workshops are organized on a regular basis to raise awareness of contemporary dance among spectators and the dancers are also given the chance to present choreographies of their own in a fourth production of the dance division. Dance projects involving teens and elderly citizens take place at the theatre on a regular basis. The company also performs in around 20 of the theatre’s musical shows. Training, some of it by guest instructors, is mainly classical, but has also recently expanded to include modern training sessions once a week.

On the history of the ensemble:

The ballet of the Theater Lüneburg has been led by Olaf Schmidt since the 2013/14 season. His production “Kaspar Hauser”, “Drei Schwestern” and “Orestie” not only convinced the Lüneberg audience, but also the press: as so-called “ballet wonder before the gates of Hamburg”, the 10-strong ensemble convinces with annually with its three premiers in the großes Haus as well as with one production from the young choreographers in T3. “Aladin”, “Snow White” and “Pinnochio”, which take place here, win over the hearts of the younger viewers. Olaf Schmidt has faith entirely in the personalities of the dancers in his mostly full-length pieces and puts the ensemble at center-stage with each new creation. In January 2017, the dance piece “Die Geschichte von Blanche und Marie“, a commission from Thomas Dorsch  will celebrate its successful premier.

Olaf Schmidt:

Olaf Schmidt studied Sport and Biology in his hometown Berlin, before receiving his dance education at the Ballettakademie Hans Vogel from 1984 to 1987. His participation at the Bremer Theater as well as at the Stadttheater Bern as dancer followed in 1987/88, then as a solo dancer at Ulm Theater (1990/1) and at the Nationaltheater Mannheim under Pihippe Talard (1991/2). Already early on, Olaf Schmidt worked as a choreographer as well. From 1992 to 1997 he worked as choreographer and ballet director at Pfalztheater Kaiserslautern. In the same position, he transferred to the Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe. As guest choreographer, he has worked at Guangdong Modern Dance Company (China), at Teatro Amazonas in Manaus (Brasil), at Ballet de Zaragoza (Spain), at IMPERFECT Dancern (Italy), at the CIA. Sociedade Masculina and at Bale da Cidade in Sao Paulo (Brasil). After that he was engaged as ballet director at the Theater Regensburg, which lasted eight years. Since the start of the 2013/14 season, Olaf Schmidt has been ballet director at the Theater Lüneburg.

“I am constantly in search of a dance rooted in the solitude of humanity and believe that there is an existential need to confide in someone or even just in oneself. In my work, I attempt to give the spectator the chance to observe the other and communicate with him or her in a mysterious way.”

Olaf Schmidt