Michael Klien
Encyclopedia
Michael Klien is one of Europe
’s choreographic pioneers. Michael Klien has been working as a choreographer, curator
and producer of numerous touring productions, installations and events. He has been guest choreographer for Ballett Frankfurt and artistic advisor to William Forsythe
. His works have been performed at many venues across Europe.
Klien developed a series of new choreographic methods and procedures (including non-linear choreography and distributed choreography) as well as improvisation
methodologies for dance
. He has championed the development of choreography
as an autonomous aesthetic discipline, the main focus of his work.
He co-founded the performance collective Barriedale Operahouse in London
, the website web forum Choreograph.net, and the 'Framemakers project' – a series of events dedicated to choreography as an Aesthetics of Change. Together with artists such as Nicholas Mortimore, William Forsythe, Steve Valk and Jeffrey Gormley, his name is also associated with the development of 'Social Choreography'. Klien is has been artistic director of Daghdha Dance Company, one of Ireland
's leading dance organisations from 2003 to 2011.
“Choreography is not to constrain movement into a set pattern, it is to provide a cradle for movement to find its own patterns – over and over again – to prevent a body – whether bound by skin or habits from stagnation and enable lightness, a primal energy and possibilities only to be found once relations start dancing.” Michael Klien, Book of Recommendations
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
’s choreographic pioneers. Michael Klien has been working as a choreographer, curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
and producer of numerous touring productions, installations and events. He has been guest choreographer for Ballett Frankfurt and artistic advisor to William Forsythe
William Forsythe (dancer)
William Forsythe is an American dancer and choreographer resident in Frankfurt am Main in Hessen. He is known internationally for his work with the Ballett Frankfurt and The Forsythe Company...
. His works have been performed at many venues across Europe.
Klien developed a series of new choreographic methods and procedures (including non-linear choreography and distributed choreography) as well as improvisation
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
methodologies for dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
. He has championed the development of choreography
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
as an autonomous aesthetic discipline, the main focus of his work.
He co-founded the performance collective Barriedale Operahouse in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the website web forum Choreograph.net, and the 'Framemakers project' – a series of events dedicated to choreography as an Aesthetics of Change. Together with artists such as Nicholas Mortimore, William Forsythe, Steve Valk and Jeffrey Gormley, his name is also associated with the development of 'Social Choreography'. Klien is has been artistic director of Daghdha Dance Company, one of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
's leading dance organisations from 2003 to 2011.
“Choreography is not to constrain movement into a set pattern, it is to provide a cradle for movement to find its own patterns – over and over again – to prevent a body – whether bound by skin or habits from stagnation and enable lightness, a primal energy and possibilities only to be found once relations start dancing.” Michael Klien, Book of Recommendations