Detlef Soost
Encyclopedia
Detlef Soost also using the name D! (formerly Dee!), most often called Detlef D! Soost, is a German
dancer and choreographer
.
. His mother, who died very early, was a German, his father came to the GDR from Ghana
. The biography on his homepage states that Soost became streetdance champion of East Berlin
when he was 15 years old and champion of the GDR when he was 16, but some people criticize, that, based on his date of birth given in the same biography (1971) this seems very unrealistic, because streetdance was not accepted in the GDR and no "official" battles could be held in which Soost could win a title. However, there is no doubt that Soost in this time was one of the most important persons in Berlin streetdance scene. Even if there were no "official titles" and championships Soost was the undisputed master of streetdance in Berlin in this time.
In 2005 he published his autobiography
"Neger - Heimkind - Pionier" ("Negro - orphan - pioneer
"). In this book, among other things, he also writes about his ethnic background and the problems caused by it. Soost describes himself as "Schoki", a (childish) word for chocolate
.
In the years after the German reunification
1990/91 he started a career as a professional choreographer and dancing master. Later he founded a network of dancing schools under the brand D!s Dance Club. He owns a "Coaching- and Casting-Center" in Berlin-Mitte. He also produces dance music and develops choreographies for the D!s Dance Clubs and other dancers under the brand D!Nation.
He has two children, daughter Chani, who was born in April 2006, and son Carlos, who was born in July 2007.
broadcast by ProSieben. He also leads a similar program called MusicStar on Swiss
SF DRS. In 2005 he presented Super Illu TV on MDR
. 2005/2006 he also worked for ProSieben presenting Lebe Dein Leben! - Live-Coaching mit Detlef D! Soost, before the show got canceled because of too low tv ratings
. On the German music television channel VIVA Soost hosted, presented and led all four cycles (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008) of the casting show DanceStar.
Soost also took part in the ProSieben reality show Die Alm – Promischweiß und Edelweiß in 2004, a show in which several B-rate German celebrities had to live and work on an alm
in the Alps, and the audience could vote for a winner. After the regular time of the show, Soost was close to winning, but had to leave the show when it was extended, because he had other work to do. The term "Herr Soosts Hut" refers to this show (see below). In 2007 he won the German version of the Gameshow Marathon
on ProSieben.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
dancer and choreographer
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
.
Life and work
Soost was born in East Berlin and grew up in an orphanageOrphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
. His mother, who died very early, was a German, his father came to the GDR from Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
. The biography on his homepage states that Soost became streetdance champion of East Berlin
East Berlin
East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin that was established in 1945. The American, British and French sectors became West Berlin, a part strongly associated with West Germany but a free city...
when he was 15 years old and champion of the GDR when he was 16, but some people criticize, that, based on his date of birth given in the same biography (1971) this seems very unrealistic, because streetdance was not accepted in the GDR and no "official" battles could be held in which Soost could win a title. However, there is no doubt that Soost in this time was one of the most important persons in Berlin streetdance scene. Even if there were no "official titles" and championships Soost was the undisputed master of streetdance in Berlin in this time.
In 2005 he published his autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
"Neger - Heimkind - Pionier" ("Negro - orphan - pioneer
Ernst Thälmann Pioneer Organisation
The Ernst Thälmann Pioneer Organisation, consisting of the Young Pioneers and the Thälmann Pioneers, was a youth organisation of schoolchildren aged 6 to 14, in East Germany...
"). In this book, among other things, he also writes about his ethnic background and the problems caused by it. Soost describes himself as "Schoki", a (childish) word for chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...
.
In the years after the German reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
1990/91 he started a career as a professional choreographer and dancing master. Later he founded a network of dancing schools under the brand D!s Dance Club. He owns a "Coaching- and Casting-Center" in Berlin-Mitte. He also produces dance music and develops choreographies for the D!s Dance Clubs and other dancers under the brand D!Nation.
He has two children, daughter Chani, who was born in April 2006, and son Carlos, who was born in July 2007.
TV
Soost has been choreographer and head of the jury in all cycles of the German version of PopstarsPopstars
Popstars is an international reality television franchise and a precursor to the Idol series. The series first began in New Zealand in 1999 when producer Jonathan Dowling formed the five member all-girl group TrueBliss...
broadcast by ProSieben. He also leads a similar program called MusicStar on Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
SF DRS. In 2005 he presented Super Illu TV on MDR
Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk
Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk is the public broadcaster for the federal states of Thuringia, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt...
. 2005/2006 he also worked for ProSieben presenting Lebe Dein Leben! - Live-Coaching mit Detlef D! Soost, before the show got canceled because of too low tv ratings
Audience measurement
Audience measurement measures how many people are in an audience, usually in relation to radio listenership and television viewership, but also in relation to newspaper and magazine readership and, increasingly, web traffic on websites...
. On the German music television channel VIVA Soost hosted, presented and led all four cycles (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008) of the casting show DanceStar.
Soost also took part in the ProSieben reality show Die Alm – Promischweiß und Edelweiß in 2004, a show in which several B-rate German celebrities had to live and work on an alm
Transhumance in the Alps
Transhumance in the Alps, or seasonal migration between valley and high pastures is a traditional practice that has shaped much of the landscape in the Alps, as without it, most areas below 2000 m would be forests.While tourism and industry contribute today much to Alpine economy, seasonal...
in the Alps, and the audience could vote for a winner. After the regular time of the show, Soost was close to winning, but had to leave the show when it was extended, because he had other work to do. The term "Herr Soosts Hut" refers to this show (see below). In 2007 he won the German version of the Gameshow Marathon
Gameshow Marathon
Gameshow Marathon is an American television program which aired on CBS from May 31, 2006 to June 29, 2006. It is based on the UK series Ant & Dec's Gameshow Marathon which aired on ITV in 2005....
on ProSieben.
External links
- http://www.deesworld.de/ (official German community page)