Palle Jacobsen
Encyclopedia
Palle Jacobsen was a Danish
ballet dancer, choreographer and instructor with the Royal Danish Ballet
and ballet master at the Pantomine Theatre
in the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen
.
's ballet school (1952–1957) and by Edite Frandsen (1957–1959). He danced with various European companies from 1960 to 1967, performing as a soloist in Basel, Graz and especially Dusseldorf. Ballet master Flemming Flindt
brought him back to the Royal Danish Ballet in 1967, where he soon became one of the company's favourite soloists, often partnering ballerinas such as Kirsten Simone
, Anna Lærkesen and Mette Hønningsen. He took on major roles in Swan Lake
, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker
and Giselle
.
Following his retirement as a dancer, he became an instructor in 1972 until he was appointed ballet master at the Pantomine Theatre in Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens (1983–1993). As an instructor, he worked with not only with the Royal Ballet and the Danish Dance Theatre
but internationally with the American Ballet Theatre
, the London Contemporary Dance School, the London Festival Ballet, the Dutch National Ballet
, the Norwegian National Ballet
, the San Francisco Ballet
, the Cullberg Ballet
in Stockholm, and the Pacific Northwest Ballet
in Seattle.
As a choreographer, he produced Albinoni (Royal Danish Ballet, 1973), De Blå Øjne (Royal Danish Ballet, 1975), Mozart Suite (Bayerische Staatsoper, 1980), Hyrdinden og Skortensfejeren (Pantomine Theatre, 1981), Styx (Royal Danish Ballet, 1982), and various productions at the Pantomine Theatre including Pariserliv (1983), Venetiansk Karneval (1984), Anno 20 (1986), Romance (1987) and Carneval (1996).
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
ballet dancer, choreographer and instructor with the Royal Danish Ballet
Royal Danish Ballet
The Royal Danish Ballet is one of the oldest ballet companies in the world. Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, it originates from 1748, when the Royal Danish Theatre was founded, and was finally organized in 1771 in response to the great popularity of French and Italian styles of dance...
and ballet master at the Pantomine Theatre
Pantomimeteatret
The Pantomime Theatre is an open-air theatre located in the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark. As indicated by the name, it is primarily used for pantomime theatre in the classical Italian commedia dell'arte tradition which is performed daily...
in the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
.
Biography
Jacobsen was trained at the Royal Danish TheatreRoyal Danish Theatre
The Royal Danish Theatre is both the national Danish performing arts institution and a name used to refer to its old purpose-built venue from 1874 located on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The theatre was founded in 1748, first serving as the theatre of the king, and then as the theatre of the...
's ballet school (1952–1957) and by Edite Frandsen (1957–1959). He danced with various European companies from 1960 to 1967, performing as a soloist in Basel, Graz and especially Dusseldorf. Ballet master Flemming Flindt
Flemming Flindt
Flemming Flindt 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...
brought him back to the Royal Danish Ballet in 1967, where he soon became one of the company's favourite soloists, often partnering ballerinas such as Kirsten Simone
Kirsten Simone
Kirsten Simone is a former Danish ballerina. She studied at the Royal Danish Ballet School with Vera Volkova and joined the Royal Danish Ballet Company in 1952. She became their first soloist in 1966. She created roles in Flemming Flindt's The Three Musketeers , von Rosen's Don Juan and Harald...
, Anna Lærkesen and Mette Hønningsen. He took on major roles in Swan Lake
Swan Lake
Swan Lake ballet, op. 20, by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, composed 1875–1876. The scenario, initially in four acts, was fashioned from Russian folk tales and tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. The choreographer of the original production was Julius Reisinger...
, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". It was given its première at the Mariinsky Theatre in St...
and Giselle
Giselle
Giselle is a ballet in two acts with a libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Théophile Gautier, music by Adolphe Adam, and choreography by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot. The librettist took his inspiration from a poem by Heinrich Heine...
.
Following his retirement as a dancer, he became an instructor in 1972 until he was appointed ballet master at the Pantomine Theatre in Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens (1983–1993). As an instructor, he worked with not only with the Royal Ballet and the Danish Dance Theatre
Danish Dance Theatre
Danish Dance Theatre is the largest modern dance company in Denmark. The company was founded in 1981 by Randi Patterson, an English/Norwegian choreographer and innovator of modern dance. Patterson was succeeded by American Warren Spears and the Dane Anette Abildgaard...
but internationally with the American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre
American Ballet Theatre , based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century. It continues as a leading dance company in the world today...
, the London Contemporary Dance School, the London Festival Ballet, the Dutch National Ballet
Dutch National Ballet
Dutch National Ballet was formed in 1961 when the Amsterdams Ballet and the Nederlands Ballet merged. The company has been directed by Sonia Gaskell , Rudi van Dantzig , Wayne Eagling and is currently directed by Ted Brandsen. It is the largest dance company in the Netherlands and attracts many...
, the Norwegian National Ballet
Norwegian National Opera and Ballet
The Norwegian National Opera and Ballet is the first fully professional company for opera and ballet in Norway. Its seat is the Oslo Opera House.It was founded in 1957...
, the San Francisco Ballet
San Francisco Ballet
The San Francisco Ballet is a ballet company, founded in 1933 as the San Francisco Opera Ballet. The company is currently based in the War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, under the direction of Helgi Tomasson. SFB is the first professional ballet company in the United States...
, the Cullberg Ballet
Cullberg Ballet
The Cullberg Ballet is a Swedish contemporary dance company.It was founded by the modern dancer and pioneer choreographer Birgit Cullberg in 1967, who brought it to fame...
in Stockholm, and the Pacific Northwest Ballet
Pacific Northwest Ballet
Pacific Northwest Ballet is a ballet company based in Seattle, Washington in the United States. Founded in 1972 as part of the Seattle Opera and named the Pacific Northwest Dance Association, it broke away from the Opera in 1977 and took its current name in 1978. It is said to have the highest per...
in Seattle.
As a choreographer, he produced Albinoni (Royal Danish Ballet, 1973), De Blå Øjne (Royal Danish Ballet, 1975), Mozart Suite (Bayerische Staatsoper, 1980), Hyrdinden og Skortensfejeren (Pantomine Theatre, 1981), Styx (Royal Danish Ballet, 1982), and various productions at the Pantomine Theatre including Pariserliv (1983), Venetiansk Karneval (1984), Anno 20 (1986), Romance (1987) and Carneval (1996).