Mats Ek in Action

June 2, 2015

I’m sure you guys know about Jiří Kylián—the Czech choreographer who has almost single-handedly defined contemporary dance, and whose work is Nederlands Dans Theater’s calling card. But do you know about Mats Ek?

Ek is a Swedish choreographer and the former director of the Cullberg Ballet (that home of all things REALLY weird). He’s known for some of his masterpieces, like 2000’s Apartment, as well as his adaptations of classical ballets like Giselle and Swan Lake (not to mention his iconic artistic partnership with Sylvie Guillem). Let’s just say that when he’s done with them, the ballets look absolutely nothing like what you’d expect.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s Jessica Tong and Jacqueline Burnett in Mats Ek’s Casi-Casa (photo by Todd Rosenberg)

Thanks to the new documentary The Choreographer Mats Ek, you can get inside Ek’s mind as he creates work. It’s available to rent on Vimeo, and it provides some insight into a process that can seem hopelessly enigmatic. And now that there’s also a new-ish documentary about Kylián, you can give yourself an education in contemporary European choreographers! Dance #nerdz rejoice!