Cora Bos-Kroese

I met Cora my second year of living in Stuttgart. She came to Gauthier Dance to set “Duo” by William Forsythe. Duo is a very special duet for two women. I would peek in on rehearsals if I could. I love to watch the process and it was the company’s first Forsythe piece, I was curious!

Eric kept saying Cora is coming to set the piece, and Cora this and Cora that. The way he described her and her experience, I was expecting a 60 year old woman to walk in. Can you imagine my surprise when in front of me stood this tall, gorgeous, beauty! (I’m not saying that you can’t be a 60 year old tall gorgeous beauty… I’m just saying I was shocked.)

Cora took class EVERYDAY. She was there before I arrived and always stayed a bit after to stretch. In class, she is stunning! So smooth and with lines to die for. Obviously a star. I have to say that having her there everyday was a real treat. One of my best memories in the little old studio on Maybachstrasse, is of her doing adagio at the barre and all the dancers also doing adagio, but giving the side-eye to watch Cora…priceless. Cora has an amazing energy at barre. Unlike anything I have ever seen. She was so alive! Even if it was just tendus, Cora was giving full port de bras and épaulement. I started to copy her then, and I still try to do the same. My lines are not like hers but, I am working on it…

She is a good energy. Powerful, but sensitive. And she loves to laugh! Which is always a good thing. She is passionate. Intelligent. Someone you would not forget easily.

Cora was born in Amsterdam. She began her professional dancing education at the Royal Ballet School, London in 1984, and then continued her studies at The Royal Conservatory in The Hague. In 1986 she joined NDT2 and continued into the main company after 2 years. In this period, she worked with choreographers Jiri Kylian, William Forsythe, Mats Ek, Ohad Naharin, Edouard Lock, Nacho Duato and Hans van Manen…to name a few. In 2001, Cora joined Ballet Frankfurt and worked for two years as a dancer with the renowned choreographer William Forsythe. In this period, she danced leading roles in Forsythe’s most famous dance pieces, including 
”In the Middle somewhat elevated “, “Vile Parody to address,” and “Duo”.

Cora also created her own choreographies such as, “Trespass,” “Mizu”, “Under my feet,” ‘Heimat”, ‘Glass” and her most recent works “Exposed”, ‘Amor’ for C-scope productions. Cora also leads community art projects with multi- disciplinary/cultural involving large amounts of people (60-100) in the projects ‘Loket 25”,‘Signals’ and ‘Vishartslag’. Her latest work is AMOR in churches through Holland. This week she will be performing in the Kylworks program at the Kylian Festival in the Korzo Theater in Den Haag. Every summer since 2003, Cora leads an arts festival in Italy together with Roberta Mosca in a picturesque village in the mountains of Piemonte, called BIARTECA.

From 2005 -2007, Cora worked as a balletmaster at the Nederlands Dans Theater, assisting choreographers like Jacopo Godani, Crystal Pite, Meryl Tankard and Jiri Kylian. Presently, she works abroard setting Kylian works to major companies all over the world. Before I came to Ballett Basel, she had already been here to set a piece!

As artistic director of C-scope projects since 2004 has created many diverse projects mainly on location involving dance and combining different art forms together. Her latest works being ‘Proximity’, a movie- ‘Dean street and up”, and ‘in continuum” presented in Italy.

No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t dance Duo… It really is a piece for women and apparently I am not the first to try… I never got to work with Cora in that way, but she still had a big effect on me. I watched how she worked. How she took class. Like a sponge, I soaked in all the positivity and good vibes and I never forgot her. When I started this series, Cora was one of the first to give me an interview. I remember the day she said she would do it. It gave me a big push to keep going. Thank you Cora for your inspiration.

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Did you always want to do what you’re doing now?

First of all a horse farmers wife…ha, but soon as I was 7 and saw Romeo and Juliet … I cried and wanted to be swept across the stage…I would dance everywhere!!!

Cora’s Favorite Things

Favorite Things to eat?

a bloodysteak (Argentinian Lomo) with a glass of good wine (Amorone)..but hey there are so many luscious things I love too… fruit de mer with a good glass of white.. a nice runny french cheese..AND I also love salads!

Favorite Books?

Haruki Murakami- read all his books..

Favorite Movies?

Departures… sad but so touching

Favorite Dance Piece or Show/Musical or both?

Hearts Labyrinth by my maestro Jiri Kylian- especially the last duet… ha because it meant so much to me..my own Romeo & Juliet moment….and Eidos Telos- William Forsythe- it made me go there!

I like dancers who…

…dance from the gut, when they are fully engaged with what they do and it takes them and you for a ride…a journey. Lately I am not so interested in just steps nor dance to impress its more about the meaning and quality/artistry one feels and expresses… with a reason!

I am afraid of…

…heights.

A dance piece should…

…give me something to feel, think about, touch me, or throw me off guard..in other words it has to trigger my emotions in some way.

Something you like to do other your current job?

walk in nature (beach, forest…) with Fifi our dog (golden retriever), or western riding in open countryside, or along a nice stretch of beach!

One of the happiest moments in your life?

I have lots of little ones… can’t say just one..perhaps the most important was- meeting Joris- Jan Bos, my man, the photographer, as he has inspired me with music, love, life and much more.

One of your most unusual or coolest experiences?

Hmmm..first time I saw Michael Barishnikov was when I was at the Royal Ballet school (16 years old), at the water fountain..I froze..then later in life when I was with the Ballet Frankfurt he came to watch our rehearsals and he was taking pictures of us!

One of the most embarrassing moments in your professional career?

Cracking up on stage dancing a serious Ohad Naharin trio with Karine Guizzo, and Urtzi Aranburu… every night we looked at each other and the giggles would start…..aaagh, definitely not professional, but something we will never forget!

Who has been the most influential person/people in your life? or Career? and why?

Jiri Kylian, what this man has taught me from respect, passion, reason to do the things we do.. but also Bill who learnt me to fall and get up again..through him I dared to try and explore more than I thought I would. These choreographers taught me not only as an artist, but just helped me to be who I am now…

One of the hardest things about your job?

Perhaps to the politics that sometimes stand in our way to just create.. financial dependancy project based… I’m lucky somehow things work out, but sometimes it can be worrying being freelance.

Do you have any goals you still wish to achieve?

To have many more wonderful experiences ahead of me connected to dance, whether its teaching, creating, performing. I love my profession and the people who also share this passion.

A question you want to know the answer to:

I prefer just to take things one step at a time, living the moment fully.

Dear aspiring artists,

Be true to what you want to say with your art. Keep being inspired, innovate yourself continuously… Never stop learning. Dare to take those risks in order to move forward.

— Cora Bos- Kroese

Photo Journal

TOUCH TO INCLUDE- by Edouard Lock  with Mario Radacovsky

Enemy In the Figure- William Forsythe with Patrick Delcroix

ENEMY IN THE FIGURE- William Forsythe with Yvan Dubreuil

FOTOSHOOT with OHAD NAHARIN

Arcimboldo underground by Karine Guizzo

To find out more information on this great artist, check out Cora’s website www.c-scope.org . Have you seen Cora on stage? Have you worked with her? I know it is not only me! Share your stories in the comments below. Thank YOU for reading!