“Each professional school of dance art must have samples and fragments of the three main ballet schools-the French, the Russian and the Danish, the Principal of the National School of Dance Art in Sofia Boyko Nedelchev told Radio Bulgaria. We staged most often fragments of Marius Petipa’s ballets, a French national whose ballets are regarded as Russian classic. George Balanchine is considered the brightest representative of the French ballet school. We had the opportunity to invite choreographer Diana White from the USA who staged together with our pupils part of Balanchine’s Serenade piece. ChoreographerDiana Bjørn from the Danish Ballet in Copenhagen who is an expert in August Bournonvill’s style was also our guest. Diana Bjørn and Petya Ilieva are rehearsing with our pupils a twenty five minute piece byBournonville- Le Conservatoire or A Marriage by Advertisement. At the concert dedicated to the end of the school year we want to perform the two pieces, as well as the choreography the world acclaimed ballet-dancer and choreographer Daniel Lommel prepared with some of our pupils.

Daniel Lommel entered the top 10 of world’s best ballet-dancers of the 20^th century. He was born in 1945 in Paris and had the chance to work with many celebrated world artists.

“I started to dance ballet when I was thirteen, Daniel Lommel told Radio Bulgaria during his short stay in Sofia. Dance is a way of life. Dancers draw when they move. The move is an expression of an inner urge, follows the dynamics and does not work if we are afraid of making mistakes. One has to work very hard, in order to make a world career. You need to know different styles and adapt to different requirements, in order to be well-informed and learn things quickly. I also studied art. My parents were artists. I met René François Ghislain Magritte when I was only eleven. I also knew Picasso. I used to dance with Roudolf Noureïev. It is very important to meet the right people in the right time. The people I met influenced my career and helped me build my character.”

Daniel Lommel was the main dancer in the group of Maurice Béjart, considered the choreographer of the 20^th century.

"I met Béjart in Liege (Belgium) before he became so famous, Daniel Lommel recalls. For him dance was a means of expression. You would not see any special costumes and scenery at his performances, but they are full of dance and music (by Bach and Stravinsky). Maurice Béjart set the dance free."

In 1981 Daniel Lommel founded in Greece his choreographer school Aenaon and has been living in this country ever since. What made him come to Sofia?

We constantly meet people, but do not get to know them. However, communication is important, the celebrated ballet-dancer went on to say. That is why I am here- to see things up close. I was surprised to see a good ballet school, but I find more technique than body expression. It is the world today. Less attention is paid to details, but it is very important and carries a message with it.

Here is what the female ballet-dancers, who are to graduate from the National School of Dance Art in 2018, said about Daniel Lommel’s pedagogical approach:

“He told us to smile more when he first saw us, Alexandra told Radio Bulgaria. It is interesting to meet people from other countries. We learn new things from them and have good time.”

His method is different, Iva adds.

His combination of steps is not difficult. However, the combination of the movement of the body, head and feet in an unusually fast pace is difficult, Vera explains.

Daniel told us that we must enjoy the dance, Pavlina concluded.

We are looking forward to their performance on May 3 and June 2.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov