ensembles: Mannheim_Nationaltheater Mannheim Tanz

Portrait

Since the 2016/17 season, Stephan Thoss is artistic director of the dance division at the Nationaltheater Mannheim (NTM) and Chief Choreographer. Deputy Artistic Director for Dance and Commercial Director is Johannes Grube. In the 2022/23 season, the NTM Tanz company consists of 18 dancers, 2 ballet masters and an assistant to the dance director. In addition, there is a position for dramaturgy & Public Relations and a position for stage management. The ensemble is characterized by a contemporary style and a versatile repertoire that combines creations of the dance director with innovative works of renowned contemporary choreographers. Special mention should be made of the promotion of choreographers who can gain experience at the NTM. Regular premieres of short choreographies by members of the ensemble or by winners of choreographic competitions can be experienced in Mannheim. The rehearsal center NTM Tanzhaus in Käfertal was expanded into a small interim venue for dance when the renovation phase of the main theater building began in September 2022. In addition, the ensemble can be seen in the new venue Altes Kino Franklin and in future interim venues and is regularly invited to guest performances at the Heilbronn Theater.

History and biography

History of the ensemble

Dance has a very long tradition in Mannheim, dating back to the 18th century. In 1907, on the occasion of the celebrations of the 300th anniversary of the city, Isadora Duncan and her troupe staged an "Attic Festival" in the water tower facilities. In the 1920s, Rudolf von Laban choreographed two works in Mannheim and his student Mary Wigman was also active in Mannheim. Regarding the more recent history, it can be noted that four ballet directors have worked in Mannheim: Joachim Gerster, Philippe Talard, Mark McClain (2001 - 2002) and Kevin O'Day (2002 - 2015). Since the 2016/17 season, Stephan Thoss has been in charge of the dance division at the Nationaltheater Mannheim.

Stephan Thoss

Stephan Thoss was born in Leipzig in 1965 and, after his dance training at the Palucca Schule Dresden, was hired by the ballet company of the Dresden State Opera in 1983. In an additional choreographic study, the former Kurt Jooss soloist Patricio Bunster taught him the basics of the Jooss-Leeder technique. After working at the Komische Oper Berlin and the Staatstheater Kassel, Thoss returned to the Dresden State Opera in 1990 as a solo dancer, where he also created his first choreographies in the following years. From 1998 to 2001, Thoss took on his first ballet directorship, leading the Ballet of the Bühnen der Landeshauptstadt Kiel. From 2001 to 2006 he was ballet director of the Hanover State Opera, and from 2007 to 2014 ballet director of the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden.

„The choice of music is one of the most important decisions for me in the creation of a new piece. I connect to the landscape of the composition. The music not only inspires me - it pushes and carries me throughout the work.“

Stephan Thoss

Images

Rhythm under the skin – Tanz und Percussion | Stephan Thoss | © Maximilian Borchardt

Don José | Stephan Thoss | © Maximilian Borchardt

Train to Pluton | Emma Evelein | © Christian Kleiner

Woke up blind | Marco Goecke | © Christian Kleiner

Nüsseknacker | Stephan Thoss | © Christian Kleiner

KOSMOS – SCHWERElos | Maximilian Borchardt

Productions

2023/2024
2023/2024
[Translate to English:]
Produktionen der Spielzeit 2023/2024

Rhythm under the skin – Tanz und Percussion (2023)
Choreograf: Stephan Thoss
Musik: Leon’s House, Trommeltanz, Russion Dolls, Parallel Motion
Künstlerische Leitung des Mannheimer Schlagwerk: Dennis Kuhn
Komposition: Dennis Kuhn, Stephan Thelen
Es spielt das Mannheimer Schlagwerk (live)
17 Tänzer*innen, 7 Musiker*innen
Dauer: 75 Minuten
Don José (2023)
Choreograf: Stephan Thoss
Musik: Carmen-Suite nach Bizet in der Bearbeitung von Rodion Shchedrin, Fernando Corona alias Murcof, Kangding Ray, Joram Feitsma und Belá Bartók
16 Tänzer*innen
Dauer: 110 Minuten
Splitter & Glitter – Weihnachtlicher Advents-Impro-Abend (2023)
15 Tänzer*innen
Dauer: 60 Minuten
Identity (2024)
Choreograf*innen: Johan Inger, Emma Evelein, Marco Goecke
16 Tänzer*innen
Dauer: ca. 90 Minuten
Seasons in Dance (2024)
Choreograf*innen: Zoulfia Choniiazova, Albert Galindo, Emma Kate Tilson und Luis Tena Torres
16 Tänzer*innen
Dauer: ca. 80 Minuten
Where we belong (2024)
Choreograf*innen: Roy Assaf und Alba Castillo
Choreografische Werkstatt (2024)
Choreograf*innen: tba
16 Tänzer*innen
Dauer: tba
Wiederaufnahmen
Nüsseknacker (2022)
Choreograf: Stephan Thoss
16 Tänzer*innen
Dauer: 75 Minuten
Kosmos - schwerelos (Zeiteiliger Tanzabend)
Teil 1: „Kosmos“
Uraufführung: 26.10.2014, Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal
Mannheimer Premiere: 02.07.2022
Choreografie: Andonis Foniadakis
Teil 2: SCHWERE los
Uraufführung: 04.02.2023
Choreografie: Stephan Thoss
Dauer des Stückes: 60 Minuten
2022/2023
2022/2023
Productions from the 2023/2024 season
Rhythm under the skin - dance and percussion (2023)
Choreographer: Stephan Thoss
Music: Leon’s House, Trommeltanz, Russion Dolls, Parallel Motion
Artistic direction of the Mannheimer Schlagwerk: Dennis Kuhn
Composition: Dennis Kuhn, Stephan Thelen
Performed by the Mannheimer Schlagwerk (live)
17 dancers, 7 musicians
Duration: 75 minutes
Don José (2023)
Choreographer: Stephan Thoss
Music: Carmen Suite after Bizet in the arrangement by Rodion Shchedrin, Fernando Corona alias Murcof, Kangding Ray, Joram Feitsma and Belá Bartók
16 dancers
Duration: 110 minutes
Splitter & Glitter - Christmas Advent improv evening (2023)
15 dancers
Duration: 60 minutes
Identity (2024)
Choreographers: Johan Inger, Emma Evelein, Marco Goecke
16 dancers
Duration: approx. 90 minutes
Seasons in Dance (2024)
Choreographers: Zoulfia Choniiazova, Albert Galindo, Emma Kate Tilson and Luis Tena Torres
16 dancers
Duration: approx. 80 minutes
Where we belong (2024)
Choreographers: Roy Assaf and Alba Castillo
Choreografische Werkstatt (2024)
Choreographers: tba
16 dancers
Duration: tba
Revivals
Nüsseknacker (2022)
Choreographer: Stephan Thoss
16 dancers
Duration: 75 minutes
Kosmos - schwerelos
(dance evening in parts)
Part 1: "Kosmos"
World premiere: 26 October 2014, Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal
Mannheim premiere: 02.07.2022
Choreography: Andonis Foniadakis
Part 2: SCHWERE los
World premiere: 04.02.2023
Choreography: Stephan Thoss
Duration: 60 minutes
2019/2020
2019/2020
Productions from the 2019/2020 season

Premieres
Dorian
Dance piece by Felix Landerer after Oscar Wilde
Music: Christof Littmann
Stage: Till Kuhnert
Costume: Min Li
18 dancers; Opernhaus des Nationaltheaters Mannheim

Next Paradise
Dance evening by Frank Fannar Pedersen, Erion Kruja, Taulant Shehu und Stephan Thoss
18 dancers; Schauspielhaus des Nationaltheaters Mannheim

Beschwörung – Le Sacre du Printemps
Two-part dance evening by Stephan Thoss
Music: John Corigliano and I. Stravinsky
With Nationaltheater-Orchester
18 dancers; Opernhaus des Nationaltheaters Mannheim

Choreografische Werkstatt 2020
Choreographies by members of the NTM Tanz ensemble
18 dancers; NTM Tanzhaus Käfertal des Nationaltheaters Mannheim

Horizonte
Choreographies by Antonio de Rosa, Mattia Russo (Kor’sia) and Jeroen Verbruggen
18 dancers; Schauspielhaus des Nationaltheaters Mannheim
previous seasons
previous seasons
Productions from the 2018/2019 season
Premieres
Blaubarts Geheimnis
Two-part dance evening by Stephan Thoss
Music: Henryk Górecky and Philip Glass
18 dancers; Opernhaus des Nationaltheaters Mannheim

Die vier Jahreszeiten / Empty House
Choreographies by Giuseppe Spota and Johan Inger
13 dancers; Schauspielhaus des Nationaltheaters Mannheim

Sanssouci
Joint evening of opera and dance to the music of J.S. Bach and G.F. Händel, and new compositions by Arash Safaian after themes by J.S. Bach
Choreography and Production: Stephan Thoss
Musical lead: Matthew Toogood
With 18 dancers, the Nationaltheater-Orchester, solo singers an the Opernchor des Nationaltheaters Mannheim; Opernhaus des Nationaltheaters Mannheim

Evolution
Choreographies by Liliana Barros and Stephan Thoss
Music: Martin Mitterstieler, Jacques Offenbach, Georges Bizet, Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Verdi, Bernd Alois Zimmermann a. o.
15 dancers; Schauspielhaus des Nationaltheaters Mannheim

Choreografische Werkstatt 2019
Choreographies by members of the NTM Tanz ensemble
18 dancers; NTM Tanzhaus Käfertal des Nationaltheaters Mannheim

Productions from the 2017/2018 season
Der Tod und das Mädchen (2017)
Choreography Stephan Thoss, music Franz Schubert, Ezio Bosso, Philip Glass and Thomas Larcher, duration 135 min.

Let’s Beat (2018)
Choreography Marco Goecke, Giuseppe Spota and Stephan Thoss, music Igor Strawinsky, Claudio Monteverdi, J. S. Bach, F. Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Hans Zimmer, Keith Jarrett, Jimi Hendrix u.a.

Carmen (2018)
Choreography Yuki Mori, music Georges Bizet, Rodion Shchedrin and Joseph Schwantner, duration 160 min (incl. interval)

Verräterisches Herz (2018)
Choreography Jirí Pokorný and Stephan Thoss

Productions from the 2016/2017 season
Ein Sommernachtstraum
Dance piece by Stephan Thoss after William Shakespeare

New Steps – Bolero
Choreographies by Giuseppe Spota, Felix Landerer and Stephan Thoss

Gesicht der Nacht
Choreographies by Frank Fannar Pedersen and Stephan Thoss

Hello Surprise
Joint evening of Theater Regensburg Tanz and NTM Tanz

Choreografische Werkstatt (2017)
Choreographies by members of the NTM Tanz ensemble