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Flemming Flindt
Flemming Flindt
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Flemming Flindt (30 June 1936 – 3 March 2009) was a Danish choreographer born in Copenhagen. He studied at the Royal Danish Ballet and Paris Opera Ballet schools, joined the Royal Danish Ballet and was promoted to soloist in 1955. He guested with the London Festival Ballet in 1955, the Ballet Rambert in 1960, the Royal Ballet 1963 and the Bolshoi Ballet in 1968, becoming an étoile at the Paris Opera Ballet in 1961.

His first ballet was Enetime, a 1963 adaptation of Ionesco's La Leçon, original English title of the ballet The Private Lesson,[1][2] to a score by Georges Delerue and was commissioned by Danish television, later being adapted for the stage, making its premiere with Royal Danish Ballet on tour in Paris in 1964; Flindt returned to the Royal Danish Ballet as artistic director from 1966 to 1978. Other ballets he made on the Royal Danish Ballet include Gala Variations Music: Knudåge Riisager first performance was 5 March 1967, Ballet Royal Music: Knudåge Riisager first performance was on 31 May 1967, The Miraculous Mandarin to Bartók (1967), Swineherd Music: Knudåge Riisager first performance was on 11 March 1969 The Nutcracker to Tchaikovsky in 1971, Jeux to Debussy in 1973 and Dreamland, to a score by Herman David Koppel in 1974.

In 1978 he formed his own dance company. Its first work, Salome, premiered on 10 November 1978, at Copenhagen's Cirkusbygningen (The Circus Building). It featured music composed by Peter Maxwell Davies, performed by the Danish Radio Concert Orchestra and conducted by Janos Fürst. The principal dancers were Vivi Flindt, his wife, as Salome; Jonny Eliasson as John the Baptist; and Lizzie Rhode as Herodias. Flindt danced the role of Herod, and Vivi danced her final scene completely nude. This caused less of a sensation than the couple's previous nude ballet Dødens triumf (The Triumph of Death), a television ballet in which the whole cast danced naked to a 1971 score by The Savage Rose (its stage premiere at the Royal Danish Theatre was in 1972).[3] Salome was filmed and shown on national television.

From 1981 to 1989 he became artistic director of the Dallas Ballet, after which he continued to work as a freelance choreographer, especially with the Cleveland Ballet. In 1991 he returned to the Royal Danish Ballet to make Caroline Mathilde to another Peter Maxwell Davies score and Legs of Fire in 1998 to a score by Erik Norby.

Flemming Flindt was made a Knight of Dannebrog in 1974 and received the Carina Ari Medal in 1975. He was married to the dancer Vivi Flindt, who created leading roles in a number of his ballets.

Flemming Flindt works continue to be performed as part of the extensive repertoire of Ballet San Jose. He was present in November 2008 to personally stage Ballet San Jose's production of his work, The Toreador. Flindt died on 3 March 2009 in Sarasota, Florida, in the United States.[4][5]

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Flemming Flindt

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Flemming Flindt is a Danish ballet dancer, choreographer, and director known for his dramatic and often provocative ballets as well as his influential leadership of the Royal Danish Ballet. Born in Copenhagen in 1936, he trained at the Royal Danish Ballet School, joined the company in 1955, and quickly rose to prominence as a principal dancer admired for his technical precision and ability to blend classical nobility with eccentric character roles. He performed internationally as an étoile with the Paris Opera Ballet from 1960 to 1966 and made guest appearances with companies including the Royal Ballet and London Festival Ballet. In 1966, at age 29, Flindt became the youngest director in the history of the Royal Danish Ballet, serving until 1978. During his tenure he safeguarded the company's Bournonville heritage while broadening the repertoire with works by contemporary choreographers such as Paul Taylor, Glen Tetley, and Murray Louis, and introduced reforms including open auditions and the hiring of international dancers. His own choreographic output, frequently drawing on literary sources like Eugène Ionesco's plays, featured strong narratives and modern sensibilities; notable works include The Lesson (1963), The Triumph of Death (1971), and Salomé (1978), some of which generated controversy for their bold themes and inclusion of nudity. Flindt later served as artistic director of the Dallas Ballet from 1981 to 1989 and continued freelancing as a choreographer, creating pieces such as Out of Africa (1992, expanded in 2004) and staging productions for companies including Ballet San Jose. He died in 2009 in Sarasota, Florida.

Early life and education

Childhood in Copenhagen

Flemming Flindt was born on June 30, 1936, in Copenhagen, Denmark. He was the son of restaurateurs who owned the fashionable Restaurant Brønum, located near the Royal Theater in Copenhagen. Growing up in this central cultural district exposed him to the city's prominent ballet tradition from an early age. In 1946, at the age of 10, Flindt entered the Royal Danish Ballet School, marking the beginning of his formal training in ballet.

Ballet training

Flemming Flindt was admitted to the Royal Danish Ballet School in 1946 at the age of ten, where he received his primary ballet training. His most important teachers were Harald Lander and, from 1951, Vera Volkova. He also studied at the Paris Opera Ballet School. This education combined the classical Danish Bournonville tradition with international influences introduced by Volkova, a prominent exponent of the Vaganova method.

Dancing career

Royal Danish Ballet

Flemming Flindt joined the Royal Danish Ballet in 1955 after his training at the affiliated school. He was named solodanser—the Danish designation for principal dancer—in 1957. This rapid promotion reflected his early promise and technical prowess within the company. As a principal dancer, Flindt excelled particularly in the Bournonville repertory, the cornerstone of the Royal Danish Ballet's tradition. He performed leading roles such as James in La Sylphide and Gennaro in Napoli, showcasing his virtuosity and dramatic sensitivity in these classic works. His interpretations contributed to maintaining the purity and vitality of August Bournonville's style during his performing years with the company. Flindt's tenure as a dancer established him as a key figure in the ensemble before his later transition to choreography and leadership roles.

Paris Opera Ballet

Flemming Flindt joined the Paris Opera Ballet in 1960. In 1961, he was appointed to the rank of étoile, the company's highest distinction for principal dancers. During his tenure, Flindt performed leading roles in international repertory, distinguishing himself in classics such as La Sylphide and Harald Lander's Études, as well as in George Balanchine's staged works, where the choreographer preferred him for the most demanding male solos. He remained with the Paris Opera Ballet until 1966.

International guest engagements

Flemming Flindt's reputation as a leading classical dancer extended beyond his primary companies, resulting in several notable guest engagements with international ballet troupes. Taking leave from the Royal Danish Ballet, he appeared with the London Festival Ballet in 1956, where he particularly impressed in Harald Lander's Etudes, partnering Toni Lander in a dazzling display of technique. In 1960, Flindt guested with Ballet Rambert, dancing the role of James in La Sylphide opposite Lucette Aldous, a performance captured in photographs and later filmed sections that highlighted his command of Bournonville style and partnering sensitivity. He also performed as a guest with The Royal Ballet in 1963, adding to his exposure in London. In 1968, Flindt appeared as a guest with the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow, performing Giselle on the historic stage of the State Academic Bolshoi Theatre. These short-term appearances showcased his versatility across repertories and reinforced his status as a sought-after international guest artist during his active performing years.

Choreographic career

Breakthrough with The Lesson

Flemming Flindt achieved his breakthrough as a choreographer with his first ballet, The Lesson, a one-act work adapted from Eugène Ionesco's absurdist play La Leçon. The macabre ballet depicts a psychopathic ballet teacher who, aided by a rehearsal pianist, systematically murders his female pupils during private lessons, transposing the play's pedagogical horror into a dance context that exploits academic ballet technique. The work premiered on Danish television on 16 September 1963 under the title Enetime, with Flindt himself dancing the central role of the Teacher alongside Josette Amiel of the Paris Opera Ballet as the Pupil. Georges Delerue composed the score, and Bernard Daydé designed the sets and costumes. The television production won the Italia prize. It was subsequently staged for the theater, premiering at the Opéra-Comique in Paris in April 1964 with Flindt and Amiel reprising their leading roles. The ballet entered the repertory of the Royal Danish Ballet in December 1964. It quickly gained international recognition, with performances by companies worldwide and a prominent revival by The Royal Ballet at Covent Garden on 6 October 2005. This early success established Flindt's name as a choreographer.

Productions during Royal Danish Ballet tenure

During his tenure as artistic director of the Royal Danish Ballet from 1966 to 1978, Flemming Flindt choreographed and staged several productions that modernized the company's repertoire by introducing contemporary themes and dramatic intensity while maintaining engagement with classical traditions. Shortly after his appointment, he presented his first full-length work as director, The Three Musketeers in 1966, an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' novel featuring music by Georges Delerue and elaborate designs by Bernard Dayde, including over 200 costumes. The ballet proved highly popular with Copenhagen audiences as a spectacular historical pageant, though critics noted challenges in its narrative coherence and choreographic depth. In 1967, Flindt created his version of The Miraculous Mandarin to Béla Bartók's score, performing the title role himself opposite Vivi Gelker as the young prostitute. The production earned praise for its effective theatrical moments and dramatic pas de deux despite the work's inherent structural difficulties. That same year, he also presented Gala Variations. Flindt's 1971 staging of The Nutcracker to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's music became one of the company's most enduring and popular classics during his leadership. Other works from this period included The Triumph of Death in 1971, which attracted widespread attention and a younger audience through its contemporary style, and some productions featured controversial nudity elements detailed in the section on his controversial works. His tenure also saw additional creations such as Jeux in 1973 and Dreamland in 1974, further expanding the company's modern offerings.

Controversial works with nudity

Flemming Flindt's choreography occasionally incorporated nudity, which generated significant controversy as one of the earliest introductions of such elements in classical ballet. One major example was The Triumph of Death, initially broadcast on television in 1971 and staged by the Royal Danish Ballet in 1972. Inspired by Eugène Ionesco's play Jeux de Massacre, the ballet featured a rock score by Savage Rose and included full-cast nudity, with notable scenes involving Flindt himself appearing nude while being hosed with liquid detergent and his wife Vivi Flindt participating in nude sequences. These provocative choices drew public attention and debate when the work later toured internationally. Another prominent work was Salome, which premiered on 10 November 1978 at the Cirkusbygningen in Copenhagen under Flindt's choreography and with a score by Peter Maxwell Davies. Presented by the Flemming Flindt Circus Company, the ballet featured Vivi Flindt in the title role dancing nude for several minutes, with promotional images widely displayed across Copenhagen showing her naked while clutching the head of John the Baptist. The nudity and bold advertising helped make the production a commercial success, attracting large non-traditional audiences and extensive media coverage, though it also prompted some criticism. Flindt performed as Herod in the work. In these ballets, Flindt justified the nudity as dramatically essential, reflecting his approach to pushing artistic boundaries during his time as director of the Royal Danish Ballet.

Later ballets

After departing the Dallas Ballet in 1989, Flemming Flindt continued his work as a freelance choreographer and stager in Europe and the United States. In 1991 he returned to the Royal Danish Ballet to create Caroline Mathilde, a two-act ballet set to a score by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies that explored historical and psychological themes. The work was later presented at London's Royal Opera House in 1995. He choreographed Lucifer's Daughter in 1992 in Denmark to commemorate Queen Margrethe's silver wedding anniversary, a piece he subsequently expanded and reworked into Out of Africa, or Lucifer's Daughter, which received its expanded premiere at Ballet San Jose in 2004. This full-length ballet drew from Karen Blixen's memoir of her life in Kenya, blending narrative episodes with symbolic dance to depict her inner torments and relationships, set to a pastiche of Carl Nielsen's music with added choral and percussion elements. In 1998 Flindt created Legs of Fire for the Royal Danish Ballet to a score by Erik Norby. As part of his ongoing association with Ballet San Jose, he personally staged his 1978 reworking of August Bournonville's The Toreador in November 2008.

Artistic directorship

Royal Danish Ballet (1966–1978)

Flemming Flindt was appointed artistic director of the Royal Danish Ballet in 1966, at age 29, becoming one of the youngest ever to lead a major ballet company, and he held the position until 1978. He introduced major administrative reforms, reorganizing training methods for both the company and its school while initiating open auditions for the first time in the institution's history and hiring non-Danish dancers to broaden the talent pool. Flindt justified the inclusion of international performers by noting that "Five million Danes are not enough to draw from." He preserved the classical heritage of the company by maintaining the works of August Bournonville, Denmark's preeminent 19th-century choreographer. At the same time, Flindt modernized the repertoire by incorporating contemporary works from foreign choreographers and inviting international guest artists and troupes, including through annual spring festivals featuring companies such as the Paul Taylor Company. His approach brought in pieces by creators like Jerome Robbins, John Cranko, Glen Tetley, Paul Taylor, and José Limón, helping to integrate modern dance influences into the company's programming. As a result, he boldly and audaciously shook the Danish Ballet into the present day through his choices of subject matter and music.

Dallas Ballet (1981–1989)

Flemming Flindt served as artistic director of the Dallas Ballet from 1981 to 1989, marking his primary leadership role in the United States following his earlier tenure at the Royal Danish Ballet. During this period, he concentrated on expanding the company's repertory by presenting a diverse selection of works, including Bournonville classics drawn from his Danish background, traditional classical ballets, and modern pieces. These efforts aimed to broaden the company's artistic range and enhance its profile within the American dance scene. His directorship coincided with initiatives to increase visibility, including tours to Europe that showcased the company's productions internationally. The Dallas Ballet ceased operations in 1988 amid financial difficulties, effectively concluding Flindt's tenure there.

Personal life

Marriage and collaborations with Vivi Flindt

Flemming Flindt married the Danish dancer Vivi Gelker in 1970, after which she became known as Vivi Flindt. She created leading roles in several of his ballets, including The Miraculous Mandarin (1967), Sacre du printemps (1968), Triumph of Death (1971), Felix Luna (1973), and Salome (1978). Vivi Flindt performed alongside her husband in works such as Triumph of Death, where both appeared in the production. Although Flindt and Vivi Flindt eventually separated after approximately 30 years of marriage, they remained close and continued to collaborate professionally, especially in staging his ballets. Their professional partnership endured despite the personal separation, with Vivi Flindt frequently involved in restaging his works. Flindt was survived by his former wife Vivi Flindt and their three daughters.

Honors

Flemming Flindt was appointed a Knight of the Order of Dannebrog in 1974. This Danish chivalric order recognized his contributions to the arts during his tenure as artistic director of the Royal Danish Ballet. In 1975, he received the Carina Ari Medal, an honorary award presented by the Carina Ari Foundation for notable achievements in dance. These honors acknowledged his impact on Scandinavian ballet during a pivotal phase of his career.

Death and legacy

Death

Flemming Flindt died of a stroke on March 3, 2009, at his home in Sarasota, Florida, at the age of 72. He had also maintained a residence in Copenhagen.

Legacy

Flemming Flindt is regarded in Denmark as one of the Royal Danish Ballet's three most influential choreographers, after August Bournonville and Harald Lander. He revitalized the company's ancient ballet tradition by preserving the classical Bournonville heritage while boldly introducing modern and frequently controversial works that extended Danish ballet's artistic horizons into the contemporary era. His audacious approach to subject matter, music, and theatricality decisively shook the Danish ballet world into the present day, blending tradition with innovation to create a more versatile repertory. His choreography, particularly The Lesson, maintains a lasting presence in the international repertory, embraced by major companies such as the Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and the Bolshoi Ballet as a vehicle for dramatic expression. This enduring appeal reflects Flindt's success in crafting works that combine psychological intensity with bold theatricality, ensuring their relevance beyond his lifetime. Nikolai Hubbe, a subsequent artistic director of the Royal Danish Ballet, described Flindt as "an institution" whose "vision that was quite unique," affirming his transformative and irreplaceable influence on the institution and the broader ballet world.

References

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