Egon Madsen

I have had the pleasure of working with Egon during my five years at Gauthier Dance. Egon would come to Stuttgart, give classes, coach the dancers and perform with us as well. I felt lucky to work with such a great artist. He is always a pleasure to have around. When Egon walks in, he brings the sun!  He greets everyone with love. He fills the studio with a bright, positive energy. When you hear laughing in the distance, you know Egon just walked in.

Egon’s class is fantastic. It has a great flow and it feels good on the body. His barre moves our backs and he challenges us to “streeeeeetch” our limbs to their extremes. He uses big port de bras in plies which I love. We often have to shift our weight and quickly find our centers again. He has a great musicality. Egon gives the BEST pre-performance warm up class. His combinations are organic and stress free. He always finds a moment to smile. Egon never made me feel like a ugly contemporary dancer. Not once. In classical class he made us feel good! He encouraged me to embrace what I have. He pushed me always with positive encouragement. He never talked about what I don’t have… but somehow he worked exactly that. I never felt down…always “lifting up up up”. He is a natural, a master. I also had the opportunity to share the stage with Egon. That was always a nice thing! We even had a duet together in Eric Gauthier’s” “MM”.  I enjoyed being around his positive energy. Egon watched over us, you could talk to him when all else failed. He cared about all of us, you could see that everyday. He brought my son, Noah, his first pair of converse sneakers!

In 1961 Egon Madsen joined the Stuttgart Ballet and wrote dance history: Named a soloist by John Cranko, Egon Madsen inspired the choreographer to create numerous roles for him. In 1981 Egon Madsen became director of the Frankfurt Ballet. He then was appointed director of the Royal Swedish Ballet in Stockholm, ballet director of the Teatro Communale in Florence, deputy ballet director of Stuttgart Ballet and ballet master of Ballet Leipzig. Following an invitation by Jiří Kylián, he joined the Nederlands Dans Theater III in 1999 and became its artistic director besides continuing his dance career. Side by side with Eric Gauthier he celebrated a “sensational success” (ballet-tanz) in Christian Spucks Don Q. In 2009 Gauthier created M.M. for him, and, in 2010 Dear John, a danced homage to John Cranko. In February 2011 Egon Madsen was awarded the German Dance Price in recognition of his remarkable career. On the occasion of his 70th birthday and coinciding 60th stage anniversary, the Theaterhaus Stuttgart organizes the GALA Egon Madsen – A Dance Life for the esteemed Company Coach and friend of Gauthier Dance.

Egon has given so much to this artform. I appreciate his wisdom and love. Thank you Egon 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?

I think, It just came… I was told to be a dancer. I didn’t know anything about what dance was, and it happened like this. It happened because I was moving and dancing and singing and playing Schauspiel, and I was doing everything. It happened like that. and then I went on and here I am.

Egon’s Favorite Things

Favorite things to eat?

My favorite thing to eat is

[anything from,] my wife, Lucia’s Kitchen.

Favorite Books?

No. I don’t have a favorite book. I can not say that, because I don’t look so much in books actually. I would like to, but maybe that day is coming.I am always too busy…but everything that I look at I always find something special.

Favorite Movies?

No. It’s the same. I always look at it like this, Is it a movie for relaxing yourself, or a movie that you can use for your art… or growing up, to continue in your life. Movies you get something from.

Favorite Dance Piece or Show/Musical or both?

My favorite dance pieces are all the ones I have danced. Those are my favorites to do. To look at , to see…. ah… I can not say. I look at it also in the same way. Is this a piece of art, whether is it modern or it is classic, I do the best I can to get the most out of it.

I like dancers who…

Who work and concern and present and know who they are… and dance that way. They have to be focused and be living it. Whatever they do.

I am afraid of…

Maybe getting too sick one day and then someone has to take care of me. I don’t want that so much.

A dance piece should…

…be anything, classic, modern, abstract or Dance Theater as long as the audience believes what it is seeing.

Something you like to do other than dancing?

I think it would be dancing. Because It will not change. I could also say where I am now, I should like to do more acting …where I am now. Dance was one part of it, but I think it can continue to something else. It can go further.

One of the happiest moments in your life?

The happiest moments in my life, it was and still is, is when I am with my family.

One of your most unusual or coolest experiences?

oooooooohhhhhhhh. What was that? Oh god…. unusual experience…. well….maybe there were a few private things that was not the right thing for me… but maybe it was something that has to happen… I don’t know. so…….

One of the most embarrassing moments in your professional career?

It’s the same again actually, what I said before. Embarrassing is only something you feel when you do something that is not right. something that shouldn’t be, that could embarrass you. Its not that I don’t get embarrassed, its just that I see things differently today, because I am older, more mature. You know more how to get along with this. You care differently.

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

I think it was John Cranko. Because he showed us what we didn’t know we had… and so he was the one who really gave us the chance. I can also say where I started as a child, but I think dance came after and more, the one who was nearest to me was John. And he still is… the way he got along with us, how he was teaching us, it stays with me.

One of the hardest things about being a director?

A dancer forgets to give up his dancing ……. and he is standing on the other side as a director… That means direct. He has to show the line he wants to see… and many dancers forget that because they still think ME. I will not say that everybody is egotistic ,BUT we are talking about me, right? So You have to give that up to be a director.

Three words to describe yourself….

Positive, Humorous, Open.

A question you want to know the answer to:

Why is everything been so difficult? Why is the world getting so crazy? why are there so many people dying? Why so many silly wars? …. I don’t understand it.

Dear aspiring artists,

You have to forget yourself in many ways. and be part of the person who is in front of you. look into that person, or into the group and find out What can I do to be a better part of it.

–Egon Madsen

Photo Journal

Cantata by Mauro Bigonzetti – Photo by Regina Brocke

Don Q by Christian Spuck – Photo by Regina Brocke

Don Q by Christian Spuck – Photo by Regina Brocke

Photo by Regina Brocke

Birth Day by Jiri Kylian – Photo by Regina Brocke

Premiere of “Lucky Seven” at Theaterhaus Stuttgart.

More info on Egon at www.theaterhaus.com. or www.stuttgart-ballet.de. Have you seen Egon perform? Have you taken his class? Have you danced with him? Share your stories in the comments below!

Main photo by ©Regina Brocke.

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