Ib Andersen

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Ib Andersen (b. 1954) is a Danish dancer and choreographer. He is currently the artistic director of Ballet Arizona in Phoenix, Arizona.

Internationally admired as both a dancer and choreographer, Andersen’s contribution to the world of dance is the product of a journey through multiple influences. A journey which began with his formal European training at one of the World’s most prestigious ballet schools and continued to his maturation at the hands of George Balanchine. The end result is a world renowned artist who is comfortable flirting with both the Classical and Contemporary aesthetic of modern day ballet.

Born in 1954 in Copenhagen, Denmark, Andersen's first exposure to dance was through ballroom dancing. At age seven, he was accepted into the School of Royal Danish Ballet. His ascendancy was quick - at 16 he was asked to join the Royal Danish Ballet and became a principal dancer for this world-class company at age 20 (in 1972), participating in some of the most important ballet repertoire. Andersen’s career flourished in Denmark and throughout Europe.

In 1980, Andersen joined the New York City Ballet on George Balanchine’s invitation, and was on his way to learning 35 ballets within the first three months of his tenure there. So successful at adapting himself to the Balanchine style, the great choreographer created principal roles for him in Ballade, Mozartiana and Davidsbündlertänze. Other choreographers such as Jerome Robbins also created roles for his unique style. He received his first commission from the Royal Danish Ballet in 1987: 1-2-3-1-2. Baroque Variations (1988) and Fête Galante (1989) soon followed.

Since his departure from the New York City Ballet in 1990, Andersen has been teaching, staging works by George Balanchine, August Bournonville, Michel Fokine, Jerome Robbins, and others, and creating works of his own.

As a member of the Balanchine Trust, Andersen is part of a select group of individuals permitted to stage ballets by the great master worldwide; the Trust is an independent organization which was formed to oversee the licensing and production of Balanchine works.

His international background led him to create works in countries such as Slovenia (The New World, 1981), Belgium (Carnaval, 1982), Norway (Holberg Suite, 1993), Japan (Simple Symphony, 1993), Canada (Wave, 1994) and the U.S. (Brandenburg Concerti, 1994; Rhapsody Concerto, 1994; Thyra, 1995; XII Men, 1996).

In addition to his dance career, Andersen is an accomplished visual artist who dabbles in various mediums of abstract painting.

After his tenure with Pittsburgh Ballet as Ballet Master, Andersen moved to Arizona to be among the locale’s dramatic scenery and colors. Soon after, in the summer of 2000, he accepted the position of Artistic Director for Ballet Arizona. He oversees a season which combines the classical and contemporary in a way which only someone with his background can bring to life.


[edit] Works

  • Slovenia (The New World, 1991)
  • Belgium (Carnaval, 1992)
  • Norway (Holberg Suite, 1993)
  • Japan (Simple Symphony, 1993)
  • Canada (Wave, 1994)
  • United States (Brandenburg Concerti, 1994; Rhapsody Concerto, 1994; Thyra, 1995; XII Men, 1996; Mosaik, 2004; Play, 2007; Preludes and Fugues, [formerly Go With It, 2004], 2008; Dance of the Hours, 2008).