Yesterday evening, the Hessisches Staatsballett celebrated the premiere of Chronicles in the main auditorium of the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden. To mark the 10th anniversary, six international choreographers – Liliana Barros, David Raymond & Tiffany Tregarthen, Leïla Ka, Anouk van Dijk, Dunja Jocić and Fran Díaz – presented their diverse short choreographies. The evening spanned a musical arc from Debussy to Górecki to Steve Reich and was accompanied by the Hessian State Orchestra Wiesbaden under the direction of Albert Horne.
For the first time, the Hessian State Ballet offered a live audio description for blind and visually impaired visitors. A tactile tour took place before the performance, during which participants were able to explore stage sets, costumes and movement sequences haptically. This inclusive offer was developed as part of a training course for audio description and met with a positive response.
Further performances of Chronicles are planned for February 23, March 1, 6, 8 and 14, 2025 in Wiesbaden and from April 5, 2025 in Darmstadt. Tickets and further information are available on the Hessisches Staatsballett website.
Impressions
In January 2025, it was time for the Hessian State Ballet to pack its bags, lace up its pointe shoes and set off on an international tour! Our company set off for Switzerland and France to thrill audiences with energy and passion.
Our journey took us through beautiful cities: we opened the tour with a brilliant start in Monthey. In Fribourg, we were welcomed by an enthusiastic audience who rewarded us with long applause. We continued to Échirolles, where the atmosphere in the hall was electrifying – every movement, every lift, every jump seemed to carry the audience along with us. Our journey ended in Annemasse, where we were also bid farewell with much love and applause – a crowning finale to this intensive time.
For us, a tour always means more than just performing. It’s about meeting new people, exchanging ideas with other cultures and experiencing dance together on an international stage. We not only take home memories of fantastic performances, but also the motivation to continue sharing our art.
We are now returning to Hesse with heart and dedication – full of inspiration for future projects. Merci et à bientôt!
Impressions of our tour
Photo Credit: Lisa Marie Heidrich
With an extraordinary qualification program for audio description authors, the Tanzplattform Rhein-Main, a joint project of the Hessisches Staatsballett (HSB) and Künstler:innenhaus Mousonturm, is contributing to the removal of barriers for blind and visually impaired people and to greater participation in dance. The qualification program culminates and concludes with the HSB ballet evening “Chronicles”.
Parallel to the rehearsal process, blind, visually impaired and sighted authors participating in the qualification program will jointly develop an audio description including a tactile tour for the multi-part dance evening.
This audio description can be used for the first time by blind and visually impaired visitors at the premiere of the dance evening on February 16 at 6 pm at the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden.
More information will follow soon.
On what levels does dance work?
As a physical art, dance is considered a form of expression in which visual aspects dominate. So is dance perceived mainly or exclusively through the sense of sight? How can dance be made accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired?
The Tanzplattform Rhein Main, a joint project of the Hessisches Staatsballett and the Künstler:innenhaus Mousonturm, has been working for nine years to strengthen dance in its diverse forms of expression in the Rhine-Main region and to create access to this art form for people with various physical and sensory impairments. Breaking down barriers in dance for people with disabilities in front of, on and behind the stage is an important concern for the Hessisches Staatsballett and its partner Künstler:innenhaus Mousonturm.
For a good two years now, the Tanzplattform Rhein-Main has been offering audio descriptions for selected performances at Mousonturm. The verbal description of the stage events that accompany a live performance enables blind and visually impaired people to take part in the dance piece. What has been standard in film and television for many years is still a rarity in dance and theater.
On the initiative of the Tanzplattform Rhein-Main, an audio description is being developed for the first time for a production of the Hessisches Staatsballett as part of the ballet evening “Chronicles”. The development of this audio description marks the end of a qualification program for audio description authors in dance. Led by the blind audio description experts Melanie Hambrecht and Fabian-Lilian Korner, a group from the Rhine-Main region consisting of nine blind, visually impaired and sighted people will be trained to independently develop audio descriptions and accompanying measures such as tactile tours and audio flyers for dance productions.
The aim of the qualification program is to make the outstanding pieces of the Hessian State Ballet accessible to blind and visually impaired people for the first time. In addition, the Nucleus is to be established for a pool of audio description authors in the Rhine-Main region, so that in future audio descriptions can be offered not only at the Hessian State Ballet or the Mousonturm, but also at other theaters and independent dance productions. Currently, such an offer is not only failing due to a lack of financial resources, but also due to a lack of qualified authors.
With the qualification program, the partners of the Tanzplattform Rhein-Main would like to make a contribution to the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was ratified by the German government in 2009. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities makes it clear that the independent participation of people with disabilities in all areas of life, including art and culture, is an indispensable fundamental right.
The Dance Platform Rhine-Main sets important standards with its program. It is directed by the blind experts Fabian-Lilian Korner and Melanie Hambrecht. It thus fulfills a central demand of the disability rights movement, which is “Not about us without us”.
The program also makes the work of author teams standard, in which blind or visually impaired experts always work together with sighted experts on an equal footing. The skills, experiences and needs of the target group of audio descriptions are thus placed at the center from the very beginning.
Under the keyword ‘artistic audio description’, the qualification also takes intensive account of the special features of the art form ‘dance’. It is thus radically different from the supposedly neutral, highly technical descriptions familiar from film and television. Rather, the initial questions are how the various sensory levels that are effective in a dance performance can be included or which sensory levels beyond the visual can be experienced in a dance performance and how these can be conveyed.
It is important to the directors of the qualification program, Fabian Lilian Korner and Melanie Hambrecht, to place acoustic, olfactory and haptic qualities of a dance performance on an equal footing with the linguistic description of the performance, such as the breeze that can be felt on the skin when a dancer moves quickly. The aim is to create a holistic sensory-aesthetic experience for the blind and visually impaired audience that is equivalent to the visual reception of the piece.
Audio description
The creation of the audio description as part of “Chronicles” comprises the following work steps:
Phase 1: In an intensive exchange with the choreographers of the pieces and the dancers involved, the authors develop an independent language that adequately describes the characteristics of the respective pieces and the choreographic handwriting. Which terms and adjectives can be used to capture the special movement quality of a choreography? Which sensory levels can be incorporated into the audio description alongside the verbalization of the stage predecessors?
Phase 2: Parallel to the rehearsals of “Chronicles”, the audio description teams are developing a script that will serve as the basis for the future audio description. As in phase 1, the exchange and constant feedback between the blind or visually impaired authors and their sighted colleagues is also central to this phase.
Phase 3: Implementation of the audio description during the performance. Users can receive the audio description via receivers with headphones. The script serves as an orientation for the speakers, who were also involved in its creation as authors. Live aspects of the respective performance are taken into account, such as the tempo, the intensity and the reactions of the audience. The performance is preceded by a so-called tactile tour, usually one hour before the performance begins. This enables the audio description users to feel central elements of the performance before it begins and to walk around the stage area to get a better orientation during the performance.
Further information
Join the dynamic team of Hessisches Staatsballett and lead with creativity and precision!
Your Role:
- Rehearse & Inspire: Teach morning classes and lead daily rehearsals, ensuring dancers reach their highest potential and bring the choreography to life.
- Collaborate & Create: Work closely with choreographers, the artistic director, and the creative team to maintain the integrity and vision of each production.
- Prepare & Refine: Oversee preparation and ensure the ensemble is stage-ready for each performance.
- Support & Develop: Provide personalized guidance and support for dancers, fostering artistic growth and excellence.
- Communicate & Coordinate: Act as the central hub for scheduling, coaching, and maintaining performance standards across all teams within our theatres.
About Us:
Hessisches Staatsballett is the shared dance company of Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden and Staatstheater Darmstadt. Since its founding in 2014, the company has represented an expansive and diverse blend of classical and contemporary dance, pushing artistic boundaries and enriching cultural landscapes. Currently under the artistic direction of Bruno Heynderickx, our ensemble of 28 dancers, surrounded by a team of 12, delivers approx. four programs each season, featuring works by renowned German and international guest choreographers such as amongst others Ohad Naharin, Marco Goecke, Damien Jalet, Imre and Marne van Opstal, Sharon Eyal, Tiffany Tregarthen and David Raymond. The Hessisches Staatsballett mainly performs in it home theatres in Wiesbaden and Darmstadt, but is also increasingly touring nationally and internationally.
About You:
- You bring solid dance experience, a deep understanding of ballet and contemporary dance, and have an eye for detail.
- You’re passionate about coaching, with a talent for bringing out the best in every dancer.
- You love the blend of tradition and innovation, keeping the art fresh while respecting its roots.
- You thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and have top-notch organizational skills.
- You are at home with Microsoft Office applications.
- You have proven leadership skills and have a minimum of 3 years’ experience in a similar position.
What we Offer:
- Creative Environment: Be part of an internationally recognized dance company that thrives on a dynamic mix of classical and contemporary styles.
- Artistic Freedom: Collaborate with some of the most innovative choreographers and artists in the industry.
- Professional Growth: Opportunities for personal and professional development within a supportive and inspiring artistic team.
- Diverse Stages: Work in two prestigious theatres in Wiesbaden and Darmstadt, as well as on national and international tours.
- Competitive Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, benefits, and a contract compliant with German theatre and orchestra union standards (NV Bühne).
- Cultural Hub: Experience life in one of Germany’s richest cultural regions, with access to a vibrant arts and cultural scene.
How to Apply:
If you are excited about this opportunity and meet the qualifications, we would love to hear from you!
Please send your CV and a letter of motivation to info@hessisches-staatsballett.de by February 16th 2025.
More information on the attached PDF: Ausschreibung 0207_Probenleiter_in_DE_ENG
The audition for the 2025/26 season will take place on 22 January.
The Hessisches Staatsballett is the joint dance company of the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden and Staatstheater Darmstadt. Under the artistic direction of Bruno Heynderickx, the 28-member ensemble of dancers produces and presents at least three programmes each season, for which the company commissions nationally and internationally renowned choreographers. The company’s repertoire includes works by Imre & Marne van Opstal, Ohad Naharin, Nadav Zelner, Xie Xin, Damien Jalet, Sharon Eyal, Marco Goecke and Antonio de Rosa & Mattia Russo.
For the 2025/26 season, the Hessisches Staatsballett is looking for dancers with at least three years of professional experience who have a solid classical and excellent contemporary technique. A total of four contracts are available.
All important information about the application process can be found here
We are delighted to be cooperating with the Murnau-Filmtheater in Wiesbaden as part of this year’s Tanz Festival Rhein-Main.
Cranko will be shown at the Filmtheater on the following dates:
Fr 8.11. 17.00 o’clock
Fr 8.11. 20.15 o’clock
Sa 9.11. 20.15 o’clock
Direction: Joachim Lang, DE 2024, 133 min, German original version, FSK: 12+, with Sam Riley, Lucas Gregorowicz, Hanns Zischler
Stuttgart 1960 – when choreographer John Cranko lands by plane, he has no idea that this moment will change his life. He is to guest choreograph at the Stuttgart Ballet. In London, where he had to endure numerous humiliations, including a ban on working, because of his homosexuality, nothing could hold him back. In the tranquil city, John Cranko recovers from his humiliating experiences and nobody seems to be bothered by his unconventional lifestyle. After a short time, he becomes ballet director, the darling of the audience, devotes himself to his art and an intoxicating lifestyle, has affairs, suffers private setbacks and deep crises, runs his office in the theater canteen and refers to his company as ‘his children’. The rapid and steep rise to the top of the world, the “Stuttgart Ballet Miracle”, made John Cranko a superstar of his time. Driven by an obsession and passion for his work, John Cranko is always in search of perfection.
Press:
„This is cinema worth seeing, emotionally gripping, stirring, enchanting in its images, but never romanticizing. And above all, Sam Riley is enthroned with perhaps the best performance of his career.“ (programmkino.de)
Our ballet calendar 2025!
Like every year, the Freunde des Hessischen Staatsballetts also designed a calendar for the coming season. It shows impressive scenes from the previous season and is available at their stand or under info@freunde-des-hessischen-staatsballetts.de for 25€.
You want to know more about the Freunde des Hessischen Staatsballetts?
Pünktlich zum Wiesbadener Eröffnungswochenende und dem Darmstädter Theaterfest liegt nun das neue Magazin des Hessischen Staatsballetts in beiden Theatern aus. Die mittlerweile zehnte Edition des Magazins gibt unter anderem Einblicke in die Entwicklung des Hessischen Staatsballetts anlässlich seines Jubiläums, beleuchtet aktuelle Produktionen und verschafft einen Überblick über das breit gefächerte Angebot mit Verbindungen in das gesamte Rhein-Main Gebiet.
We are delighted that the brother and sister duo Imre and Marne van Opstal have once again been nominated for the FAUST Prize. This year, they have been nominated in the ‘Staging Dance’ category for their piece ‘Voodoo Waltz’, which was co-produced with the Hessisches Staatsballett and was produced at Schauspielhaus Bochum. We are keeping our fingers crossed!
There will be four new faces on the stages of the Staatstheater Wiesbaden and Darmstadt in the 2024/25 season!
At the end of August, we welcomed Benjamin Wilson, Enzo Boffa, Gorka Duran Villar and Luke Watson to our state theatres. Now they are busy rehearsing for the upcoming new creation by Imre & Marne van Opstal and Xie Xin, which will premiere at the Staatstheater Darmstadt on 18 October under the programme title ‘Broken Bob’.
Find out more about the new dancers here