Born: 1995
Nationality: Danish
Education: The Royal Danish Ballet School
Career: Joined the Royal Danish Ballet as an apprentice in 2012 and became a member of the corps de ballet in 2014
Highlights from the repertoire with the Royal Danish Ballet: The Death That Best Preserves (Natalia Horecna), Minus 7 (Ohad Naharin), Interregnum (Corpus), Romeo and Juliet (John Neumeier), Cacti (Alexander Ekman), Vertical Road (Akram Khan), Swan Lake (Nikolaj Hübbe and Silja Schandorff), Rubies (George Balanchine) and Symphony of Psalms (Jiří Kylián)
Creations: The Death That Best Preserves by Natalia Horecna, 2015
Own choreography with the Royal Danish Ballet: Blinded, Kulturnatten, 2013, Abstrakt Orgasme in Hübberiet, 2014, Russian and Spanish diverts in Swan Lake by Nikolaj Hübbe and Silja Schandorff, 2016, Beginning & Ending in Dans2Go, 2017, and M.D.L.S.S.M.H.E.I.W.H.N - //My Daddy Loves Sugar/./ in Step Forward, 2018
Guest performances: The Protégés III, Washington D.C., Kompagni B, 2012, National Ballet School of Canada summer intensive, Toronto, 2012, Assemblée International, Toronto, 2013, Boston Ballet summer dance program, Boston, 2013, Jacob’s Pillow, Massachusetts, 2013, Jacob’s Pillow, Massachusetts, 2014
Awards: Augustinus Fonden, 2012, Otto Bruuns Fond, 2012, Nationalbankens Jubilæumsfonds rejselegat, 2013, Axel Muusfeldt Fondens rejselegat, 2013, Otto Bruuns Fond, 2013. Reumerts Talentpris, 2017
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Why do you dance?
For me dancing is not a selfish thing. It is not something you need to do. It is a gift you have been given and you need to share it with the world.
Why do you think that ballet is relevant today?
When I choreograph, I don’t do it for myself, I do it for the audience to feel something, and it can be anything – love, pain, sorrow, happiness. I think it is so crucial, especially now with our smartphones and internet. I want to create a space where you can breathe and enjoy being exactly where you are, at least for just half an hour.
Read more about Oliver Starpov:
https://www.instagram.com/allmyfriendsaresuperheroes/
https://www.instagram.com/theroyaldanishballet.dancers/