Friday June 5, 2009 at 8:00pm

Esplanade Theatre
1 Esplanade Drive
Singapore, Central Singapore

Cullberg Ballet, a leading light of modern European ballet, makes its Singapore debut with a pair of dazzling works from its repertoire.

Aluminum, created by visionary choreographer Mats Ek, who brought the company international limelight for two decades, reveals his longstanding genius in uniting contrasting qualities within the moving body: muscular yet supple; disciplined yet free; broad yet detailed.

Based on the idea of ‘resistance as a way of approaching life, looking at the familiar as if for the first time, not taking anything for granted’, Mats Ek’s choreography demands exceptional technical brilliance, maturity and will from the dancers.

As If, created by Johan Inger, is filled with reflections and revelations. Revolving around a stylish shiny wall, dancers ricochet to form relationships and ceaseless surprises. Playful and sophisticated, Inger is at his signature best when imbuing soft humour and wit into his cool and precise use of theatrical space.

An impressive evening featuring a duet of distinguished works crafted by two generations of acclaimed choreographers and performed by the world-renowned Cullberg Ballet.

Cullberg Ballet was found by Birgit Cullberg in 1967 and belongs to Riksteatern, Sweden's National Touring Theatre. With the reputation comparable with Nederlands Dans Theater and Compania Nacional de Danza, the company is now a leading company of modern dance. Over the past ten years Cullberg Ballet has scored successes performing in more than 40 countries. The composition of the company's dancers, with their technical proficiency and strong stage personalities, has always been international since the start.

Mats Ek, the youngest son of Birgit Cullberg, took over as artistic director in 1985. His ballet productions include over 20 works for the Cullberg Ballet, among the, rewrites of Giselle, Swan Lake and Carmen. After leaving the Cullberg Ballet, Ek created Sleeping Beauty for the Hamburg Ballet, A Sort of for the Nederlands Dans Theater, and Apartment for the Paris Opera.

Johan Inger joined Nederlands Dans Theater in 1990 and took over as Cullberg Ballet's artistic director from 2003 to summer 2008. Inger's first work for NDT II-Mellantid was crowned with the 1996 Philip Morris Finest Selection Award for Contemporary Dance. In 2001 he received the Lucas Hoving Production Award for his works Dream Play and Walking Mad.

Ticket Info: $100, $80, $60, $40

Homepage: http://www.singaporeartsfest.com

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