GAUTHIER DANCE - DANCE COMPANY / THEATERHAUS STUTTGART

BIOGRAPHIES

Gauthier Dance is a young, dynamic company of highly individual, versatile dancers, directed by the dancer, choreographer and musician Eric Gauthier. As the Resident Dance Company of the Theaterhaus Stuttgart, Gauthier Dance presents exciting contemporary dance by Gauthier and internationally acclaimed choreographers such as Mauro Bigonzetti, Itzik Galili, Paul Lightfoot/Sol Léon, Hans van Manen and Charles Moulton.
Gauthier, a shooting star of the German dance scene, is known for his highly original, humorous choreographies. One of Mr. Gauthier's primary goals as a director and choreographer, is to present and create content-oriented dance, which has a meaning recognizable even to audiences not familiar with dance, and which will move, disturb, elate or inspire his public. He pursues his goal of making contemporary dance accessible and attractive to a new and young audience with works such as Eclipse, an "Transformers" meets "House of Flying Daggers" action-ballet about an encounter between two species on a faraway planet and Air Guitar, a witty and inventive hommage to an instrument primarily associated with rock and pop music.
In addition to performances in the Theaterhaus, Gauthier Dance undertakes an extensive Educational and Community Outreach program, the first of its kind in Stuttgart: Gauthier Dance Mobile. With a specially tailored repertory of works which can be presented in small performing spaces with limited technical equipment, Gauthier Dance Mobile brings contemporary dance to children and teens in community centers as well as to a segment of our society which would otherwise have no opportunity to enjoy this art form: senior citizens and people with dementia living in retirement homes, people with physical or mental disabilities or people in rehabilitation centers. Germany is undergoing a massive demographic change and in response to this, and to a childhood spent as the son of one of Canada's foremost specialists on Alzheimer's, Mr. Gauthier conceived Gauthier Dance Mobile. With these performances, Gauthier Dance literally mobilises the dance, takes it out of the theater and brings it into new spaces and to new or disadvantaged audiences. For this project, Mr. Gauthier received substantial start-up funding from the City of Stuttgart and from Star Care e.V. Stuttgart.
The Theaterhaus Stuttgart, which opened its doors in 1985, is a unique cultural center in the city of Stuttgart, which presents theater, music, dance, cabaret, comedy, literature, political discussions and more on a total of four stages. The Theaterhaus has a long tradition of producing and presenting Tanztheater; most well known are the collaborations between Marcia Haydée and Ismail Ivo. The Theaterhaus has also traditionally been and will continue to be, a venue for the free-lance dance scene in Stuttgart. Gauthier Dance is the first resident contemporary dance company in Stuttgart.

ERIC GAUTHIER
director and choreographer, Gauthier Dance

Eric Gauthier was born in Montreal, Canada. He received his initial ballet training at the school of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens in his hometown and subsequently studied at the National Ballet School in Toronto, where he also received music and voice lessons. In 1995 he became an apprentice with the National Ballet of Canada under the artistic direction of Reid Anderson.
When Reid Anderson was appointed Director of the Stuttgart Ballet in 1996, he invited Eric Gauthier to come to Stuttgart with him as a member of the corps de ballet. In 2000 Eric Gauthier was named demi-soloist, and in 2002 he was promoted to Soloist.
In Stuttgart Gauthier danced many classical and neo-classical roles including Alain in Frederick Ashton's La Fille mal Gardée, Mercutio in John Cranko's Romeo and Juliet, the Joker in Cranko's Je de Cartes as well as in works by George Balanchine and Kenneth MacMillan. It was his abilities as a contemporary dancer, however, which were instantly noted by every choreographer who worked with the Stuttgart Ballet between 1996 and 2006. For ten years, Eric Gauthier danced in almost every world or company premiere, and in so doing he danced the works of, or worked directly with, an impressive roster of internationally acclaimed choreographers including Hans van Manen, John Neumeier, Jiri Kylian, Nacho Duato, Paul Lightfoot, Uwe Scholz and James Kudelka. He especially made a name for himself as an outstanding interpreter of the works of William Forsythe, dancing five of his ballets and working often with the American choreographer both in Stuttgart and in Frankfurt.
During his time in Stuttgart, Gauthier also inspired an impressive list of choreographers to create roles for him, most especially Christian Spuck, resident choreographer of the Stuttgart Ballet. Gauthier danced in eight world premieres by Spuck who created the role of Schigolch in Lulu and the leading role of the painter in ...la peau blanche... for him. Other choreographers who have created roles for Eri Gauthier include Mauro Bigonzetti, Itzik Galili, Kevin O'Day, Marguerite Donlon, Daniela Kurz, Dominique Dumais, Nicolo Fonte, Matjash Mrozewski, Douglas Lee, Marc Spradling, James Sutherland, Pascal Touzeau and Trey McIntyre.
In 2005 Gauthier made his debut as a choreographer in the famous „Young Choreographers“ program of the Stuttgart-based Noverre Society. In 2006 he was invited back and created Ballet 101, which won the Critics as well as Audience Prizes at the 21. International Choreographic Competition in Hannover, Germany. In 2007, Gauthier created Air Guitar for the Noverre Society.
In September 2007, Eric Gauthier starred alongside the legendary dancer Egon Madsen in Christian Spuck's Don Q., more than a danced review about the loss of reality which Spuck created for the Theaterhaus Stuttgart. The world premiere was a "sensational success" in the words of the critic Hartmut Regitz of "BallettTanz" magazine. Don Q. is currently touring to Austria, Italy, Spain, Luxembourg and many cities in Germany.
Since October of 2007, Eric Gauthier is director and choreographer of Gauthier Dance, resident dance company of the Theaterhaus Stuttgart. The company premiered in January 2008 to unanimous critical praise and 18 sold out performances with two world premieres by Gauthier as well as works by Itzik Galili, Paul Lightfoot/Sol Léon and Charles Moulton.
Gauthier Dance also has a strong commitment to community and educational outreach. With Gauthier Dance Mobil, the company visits and performs a specially selected repertory of works for people or children with mental and/or physical disabilities, people with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia, people in psychological rehab as well as in youth community centers and in schools for children with special needs.
In 2001, parallel to his dancing career, Gauthier formed a band together with three other musicians for which he composes, writes lyrics, sings and plays the guitar. The band, playing many local concerts and winning local prizes, released their first CD in 2004 and their second in 2007.



BALLETT MASTER and DANCERS

Renato Arismendi, Ballet Master, was born in Chile, trained at the school of Maria Elena Scheuch and joined the Chilean National Ballet in 1980. One year later, upon the invitation of Ivan Nagy, he joined the Ballet de Santiago at the Chilean Opera House where he danced the entire repertory for nine years. In 1990 he joined Ballett Ausgburg in Germany and from 1996 to 2001 he was a soloist at the Balletttheater in Munich under the direction of Phillip Taylor. During the course of his performing career Mr. Arismendi danced soloist roles in works by George Balanchine, John Cranko, Jiri Kylian, Ben Stevenson, Jack Carter, Andre Prokovsky, Ronald Hynd, Choo Sang Go, Uwe Scholz among others. From 2001 to 2007 he was a guest ballet teacher for the Balletttheater München, the Croatian National Ballet, the Slovenian Ballet and the Ballet de Santiago. Mr. Arismendi has been the Ballet Master of Gauthier Dance since the company's founding in 2007.


Armando Braswell was born in New York and received his dance training at the Alvin Ailey School, The School of American Ballet and the Julliard School. In the US, he danced with the SUNY Purchase Dance Corps, the Julliard Dance Ensemble and the Metropolitan Opera Ballet in works by George Balanchine, Ronald K. Brown, Nacho Duato, Eliot Feld, William Forsythe, José Limon, Lin Hwai-Min, Mark Morris and Stanton Welsh. In 2006, he joined the Ballet Theater Munich where he danced works by Richard Alston, Carolyn Carlson, Anthony Rizzi and Philip Taylor. In October 2007, Armando joined Gauthier Dance where he dances works by Mauro Bigonzetti, Eric Gauthier, Paul Lightfoot/Sol Léon, Hans van Manen and Charles Moulton. In 2009 he choreographed On My Side for Gauthier Dance as well as Duet for Six for the "Young Choreographers" series of the Noverre Society Stuttgart.


Maria Deller-Takemura was born in Japan and received her training at the Royal Ballet School during which time she performed in works by Sir Frederick Ashton and Sir Kenneth Kenneth MacMillan. In addition, she studied at the Central School of Ballet in England. She had her first engagements with Northern Ballet Theatre and the Hong Kong Ballet and then danced at the State Theater in Karlsruhe from 2004 to 2006 in works by Sir Peter Wright, Hans van Manen and Davide Bombana. From 2006 to 2009 she danced with the Ballet of the Aalto Theater in Essen in works by Christian Spuck and Stephan Thoss. Maria joined Gauthier Dance in 2009.


Björn Helget was born in Grmany and studied at the Palucca School in Dresden as well as at the State Ballet School in Berlin. He danced at the Landestheater Detmold and at the State Theater of Mecklenburg in works by John Neumeier, Jiri Kylian, Mats Ek, Marguerite Donlon, Robert North, Dietmar Seyffert and Birgit Scherzer. Björn joined Gauthier Dance in 2009.

Marianne Illig was born in France and trained at the Conservatory in Lyon as well as at the Heinz-Bosl Foundation in Munich. During the 2003-2004 season, she was an apprentice with the Stuttgart Ballet under the direction of Reid Anderson and from 2004 until 2007 she was a member of the Corps de Ballet of the Berlin Ballet under the direction of Vladimir Malakhov. She has danced works by George Blanchine, Maurice Béjart, John Cranko, William Forsythe, Kenneth MacMillan, John Neumeier and David Parsons. In October 2007, Marianne joined Gauthier Dance where she dances works by Mauro Bigonzetti, Itzik Galili, Eric Gauthier, Paul Lightfoot/Sol Léon, Charles Moulton and Philip Taylor.


Isabelle Pollet-Villard was born in France and received her training at the Conservatory in Bordeaux, at the School of Rosella Hightower in Cannes and at the Ballett Academy in Cologne. From 1994 to 1998 she danced at the State Theater in Wiesbaden and from 1998 until 2004 with the Zurich Ballett under the direction of Heinz Spoerli. From 2004 until 2009 she was a member of the Bavarian State Ballet, where she danced works by John Cranko, George Balanchine, John Neumeier, Jiri Kylian, William Forsythe, Lucinda Childs and Jacopo Godani. Isabelle joined Gauthier Dance in 2009.


Garazi Perez Oloriz was born in northern Spain and received her training at the Conservatories of Pamplona and Barcelona. From 2007 until 2009 she was a member of Dantzaz Konpainia (formerly Ballet Biaritz Junior Company) in San Sebastian where she danced works by Christophe Garcia, Itzik Galili, Hilde Koch und Thierry Malandain. Garazi joined Gauthier Dance in 2009.


William Moragas was born in Brazil and trained in his native country as well as at the Cuban National Ballet School in Havana and the Academy of Dance in Mannheim, Germany. He has danced with the Ballet of the Semperoper in Dresden, the State Theater in Karlsruhe, and the Ballets of the Municipal Theaters in Koblenz and Chemnitz. His repertory includes works by John Cranko, Hans van Manen, Robert North, Uwe Scholz, Christian Spuck, Glen Tetley, Jorma Uotinen, Vladimir Vasiliev, Richard Wherlock and Peter Wright. In October 2007, William joined Gauthier Dance where he dances works by Mauro Bigonzetti, Itzik Galili, Eric Gauthier, Jiri Kylian, Paul Lightfoot/Sol Léon, Hans van Manen and Charles Moulton.


Giuseppe Spota was born in Italy and received his dance training at the School of the Balletto die Toscana. His first engagements were with Balletto di Roma as well as with Gruppo Nuova Danza Treviso. From 2005 until 2009 he was a member of Aterballetto where he danced in works by Mauro Bigonzetti, Jiri Kylian, Fabrizio Monteverde and Ohad Naharin. Giuseppe joined Gauthier Dance in 2009.

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