Margot Lander
Encyclopedia
Margot Ella Florentz Lander (1910–1961), a prima ballerina with the Royal Danish Ballet
, was the most important Danish ballerina of the first half of the twentieth century.
Born in Oslo to Ella Florentz (1891-?), an opera singer, and Marx Gerharh (1871–1938), a journalist, Lander began studying at the Royal Danish Ballet School in 1917 and joined the Royal Danish Ballet in 1928. Two years later she married Harald Lander
(1905–1971), a dancer and choreographer who became the ballet-master at the Royal Danish Ballet.
Margot Lander became principal dancer in 1933 and Denmark’s first prima ballerina in 1942. She danced key roles in Harald Lander's ballets, in August Bournonville
’s repertoire as well as in Coppélia
and Swan Lake
before retiring in 1950.
Royal Danish Ballet
The Royal Danish Ballet is one of the oldest ballet companies in the world. Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, it originates from 1748, when the Royal Danish Theatre was founded, and was finally organized in 1771 in response to the great popularity of French and Italian styles of dance...
, was the most important Danish ballerina of the first half of the twentieth century.
Born in Oslo to Ella Florentz (1891-?), an opera singer, and Marx Gerharh (1871–1938), a journalist, Lander began studying at the Royal Danish Ballet School in 1917 and joined the Royal Danish Ballet in 1928. Two years later she married Harald Lander
Harald Lander
Harald Lander is a Danish dancer, choreographer and artistic director of the Royal Danish Ballet.Lander started as a dancer, studying under ballet master Michel Fokine in 1926-27...
(1905–1971), a dancer and choreographer who became the ballet-master at the Royal Danish Ballet.
Margot Lander became principal dancer in 1933 and Denmark’s first prima ballerina in 1942. She danced key roles in Harald Lander's ballets, in August Bournonville
August Bournonville
August Bournonville was a Danish ballet master and choreographer. August was the son of Antoine Bournonville, a dancer and choreographer trained under the French choreographer, Jean Georges Noverre, and the nephew of Julie Alix de la Fay, née Bournonville, of the Royal Swedish Ballet.August was...
’s repertoire as well as in Coppélia
Coppélia
Coppélia is a sentimental comic ballet with original choreography by Arthur Saint-Léon to a ballet libretto by Saint-Léon and Charles Nuitter and music by Léo Delibes. It was based upon two macabre stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann, Der Sandmann , and Die Puppe...
and Swan Lake
Swan Lake
Swan Lake ballet, op. 20, by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, composed 1875–1876. The scenario, initially in four acts, was fashioned from Russian folk tales and tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. The choreographer of the original production was Julius Reisinger...
before retiring in 1950.