Steffi Scherzer

Steffi Scherzer (born 14 July 1957) is a German ballet dancer, at the Berlin State Opera from 1975 to 2003, prima ballerina there from 1987, and director and instructor at the Tanz Akademie Zürich of the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste.

Steffi Scherzer
Born (1957-07-14) 14 July 1957
Stollberg, Germany
EducationStaatliche Ballettschule, Berlin
Occupation
Years active1975 (1975)–present
Organization

Career

Scherzer was born in Stollberg. She was trained for seven years at the Staatliche Ballettschule in Berlin, by Martin Puttke, among others, East Germany's leading ballet teacher.[1] She was engaged at the Deutsche Staatsoper (Berlin State Opera) in 1975, as a soloist from 1978, as Primaballerina in 1987.[2]

Scherzer danced leading parts in classical and neo-classical ballets, also as an international guest dancer, collaborating with choreographers including Patrice Bart, Maurice Béjart, William Forsythe, Pierre Lacotte, Roland Petit and Uwe Scholz. She performed the title role in Tchaikovsky's Dornröschen (The Sleeping Beauty) with Rudolf Nureyev,[3] and the double role Odette/Odile in Tchaikovsky's Schwanensee (Swan Lake) with Oliver Manz. One performance of Schwanensee, in a choreography by Patrice Bart, conducted by Daniel Barenboim, was filmed and shown live simultaneously in a cinema in Berlin and 100 cinemas in France.[4] The production was filmed for TV in December 1998.[5] She danced in William Forsythe's choreography of Steptext with partners Uwe Krotil, Ralf Stengel and Oliver Wulff. A reviewer noted: "Überragend Steffi Scherzer in rotem Trikot, die die extremen Körper- und Raumspannungen eindrucksvoll verkörpert." (Outstanding Steffi Scherzer in a red jersey, who embodies extreme physical and spatial tensions.)[6] When Scherzer retired from the stage in 2003, she was named an honorary member of the Deutsche Staatsoper.[7]

Scherzer and Matz have been teachers and directors of the Tanz Akademie Zürich of the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste from 2004, when they created the institute, which followed the "Schweizerische Ballettberufsschule" (Swiss ballet vocational school). Their students have earned prizes at competitions such as the International Ballet Competition in Cape Town.[8]

Scherzer has served on the jury of international dance competitions such as the Youth America Grand Prix and Prix de Lausanne.[9] She herself was awarded a bronze medal at the Varna International Ballet Competition and the special prize in Osaka in 1980.[10]

References
  1. Sonnenburg, Gisela (21 June 2003). "Martin Puttke zum 70. Geburtstag". Berliner Kurier (in German). Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  2. "Tschüs, Steffi!". Berliner Zeitung (in German). 18 June 2003. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  3. Jänichen, Barbara (23 June 2003). "Primaballerina Steffi Scherzer darf endlich einen "Kater" haben". Die Welt (in German). Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  4. Luzina, Sandra (19 January 1998). "Klatschen vor der Leinwand". Berliner Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  5. "Schwanensee (1998)" (in German). imdb.com. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  6. Luzina, Sandra (26 September 1998). "Keine Angst vor Symmetrien". Der Tagesspiegel (in German). Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  7. "Verneigung vor Steffi Scherzer - eine Ikone des Tanzes geht". Berliner Kurier (in German). 21 June 2003. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  8. "Tanz Akademie Zürich verbucht zwei Erfolge". Der Tagesspiegel (in German). 25 February 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  9. "Ballet NEWS / Prix de Lausanne announces participation of Gailene Stock". Der Tagesspiegel. 14 January 2011. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  10. "Steffi Scherzer wurde beste Tänzerin in Osaka". Neues Deutschland. 2 June 1980. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
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