Benjamin Feliksdal (born 1940) is a Dutch ballet dancer.He has danced as a soloist and principal with Het Nederlands ballet 1960, the Dutch National Ballet 1961-1971, and with the royal Ballet of Flanders 1972 -1973.

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<CONTENTS>

   * Biography
   * Education
   * Dance career
   * Dancing roles
   * Teacher, artistic director
   * Guest teacher
   * Choreography assignments
   * Jury Member
   * Publications
   * Extra's
   * External Links

<BIOGRAPHY>

Feliksdal was born in Den Helder 1940 a navy town in the north of Holland. from 1954 till 1960 he was trained as a dancer in Amsterdam, the Hague,educated in classical ballet and modern dance by the well known pedagoques Florrie Rodrigo,Lucas Hoving and Ineke Sluiter. In Rome with Pieter van der Sloot, and with the Rambert School of Ballet ( Marie Rambert) in London. During his performing career he was a soloist and principal with The Dutch National Ballet and The Royal Ballet of Flanders. The founding of The Dutch National Ballet in 1961 was a milestone for the dance development in the Netherlands and the performing career of Benjamin Feliksdal. Sonia Gaskell, founder,teacher and artistic director of the company, invited an impressive range of international dance artists and teachers to improve the technical skills of the dancers in that particular period. among them were Abdoerachman Koemysnikov, Nathalia Orlowskayja, Jelena Tsjikvaitze, Igor Belski, Marina Sjamsjeva ,Karel Shook and Hector Zaraspe. Among the choreographers of the extensive repertory of Het Nationele Ballet in wich Benjamin Feliksdal performed are George Balanchine, Leonid Massine, Serge Lifar, Maurice Béjart, Kurt Jooss, George Skibine, John Taras, Henry Tomaszevsky, Pearl Lang and Rudi van Dantzig. The highlight of his career with Het Nationale Ballet was the partner role with Rudolf Nureyev in "Monument for a dead boy" ( choreography by Rudi van Dantzig ) wich was performed all over Europe.

<EDUCATION>

1954-1960* educated in classical ballet and modern dance

1973-1974* state grant for extended trianing in New York:< Alvin Ailey's American Dance Center>, <Joffrey Ballet School>, and <Dance Theatre of Harlem> studied jazz, tap, modern and ballet a.o with Luigi, Nat Horn, liz Williamson, Michael Dominico, Charles Löwe, Jerry Ames,Bob Audy, Kathy Burke and Mary Jane Brown.

1979-1980* state grant for study in Chigago and Los Angeles : MODERN JAZZ DANCE AND TAP: a.o. Gus Giordano, Lou Conte, Steven Pack, Jou Tremaine and Henry Letang.

<DANCE CAREER>

1960-1961* dancer Het Nederlands Ballet ( The Hague ) 1961-1963* dancer Het Nationale Ballet ( Amsterdam ) 1963-1971* soloist and principal dancer with <Het National Ballet> in Amsterdam 1972-1973* principal dancer and jazzteacher with <The Royal Ballet of Flanders>

<DANCING ROLES>

Feliksdal's repertory with <Het Nationaal Ballet> included:

   * Swan Lake                            Von Rothbart
   * Romeo and Julia                      Tybaldo
   * Apollon Musagête                     Apollon
   * La Bayadère                          Solor
   * Le Prisonnie du Caucase              The Eagle
   * Suit en Blanc                        Pas de trois
   * Four Temperaments                    Sanquinisch pas de deux
   * Symphony in C                        First Movement
   * Monument for a dead Boy              The Friend
   * The Green Table
   * Night Island
   * Jungle
   * Ogenblikken
   * Disgenoten
   * The Dream
   * La Valse
   * Concerto Barocco
   * Serenade

<TEACHER, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR>

1974-1987* artistic director <Benjamin's Modern Jazz Dance Center> ( beginners training program ), <Europeannn School of Jazz Dance> ( professional training program ), <Theater Dance Workshop Company> and the special young kids program <Musical 1986>.

1990-1991* Feliksdal was ingaged as artistic director in the framework of EURO<26 program Young Europeans Dance in Glasgow, Cultural City 1990 UK> which hosted 150 young dancers and 2 choreographers from 12 European Countries.

After his dance career he specialised as modern jazz dance and tap teacher. He created a technique intergrating elements of jazz, ethnic, ballet, tap and modern dance. In 1975 he founded Benjamin's Modern Jazz Dance Center ( European School of Theatrical Jazz Dance ) and The Theater Dance Workshop in Amsterdam. As a former principal dancer of The National Ballet he became a dance-pioneer in professional modern jazz dance training in the Netherlands, East-Germany, Sovjet-union, Bulgaria and in other west-european Countries. During the following 12 years he headed the professional trainings department and its allied dance company. Both school and company proved to be challenging new developments in professional theater dance.

GUEST TEACHER>

1976-2000* As guest teacher Benjamin Feliksdal was invited by

                 Alvin Ailey's American Dance Center, New York
                 Dance Theater of Harlem, New York
                 Gus Giordano Dance Center, Chigago                                
                 Bat Dor Dance Company ( school ) , Tel Aviv                   
                 Kuopio Music & Dance Festival, Kuopio
                 Internationale Tanzwerkstatt, Bonn
                 Staatliche Balletschule, Berlin
                 Palucca Schule, Dresden
                 London Contemporary Dance School, Londen
                 Gitis, Institute for performing Arts, Moscow  1988
                 Vaganova Choreographic School, St. Petersburg 1989&1990
                 Moscow Chamber Ballet, Moscow 1995
                 Le ballet Jazz de Montreal, Montreal

<CHOREOGRAPHY ASSIGNMENTS>

As a choreographer he had assignments in Holland ( The Theater Workshop Dance Company ); Sofia, Bulgaria Ballet Arabesque; Berlin, BRD Friedrichstadtpalast; Tel Aviv, Israel Bat-Dor Company ( School ). And tv productions in The Netherlands, Germany, Switserland and Bulgaria.

<JURY MEMBER>

1994* International Ballet Competition "Dance de Paris" France 1996* International Ballet Competition Varna, Bulgaria 1997* Choreography Competition Vitebsk, Bella Russe 1999* Choreography Competition Vitebsk, Bella Russe 2009* Concorso Internazionale di Danza Modica Italy 2010* International Ballet Competition Varna, Bulgaria 2014* TanzOlymp Internationales TanzFestival, Berlin

<PLUBICATIONS>

Feliksdal's Teaching Methods and Techniques were documented in several books.

1984* Modern Jazzballet ( modern jazz dance teaching & training method ) Zuidboek, Best The Netherlands ( Dutch Edition )

1985* Dancercise ( jazz dance as conditional training program) Zuidboek, Best The Netherlands ( Dutch Edition )

2003* Modern Tap Dance , Bekebooks ( Dutch & English Edition ) ISBN 9080769924

2004* Syllabus Modern Jazz Dance, Bekebooks ( Dutch & English Edition ) ISBN 9080769932

2006* Syllabus "Hedendaags Ballet" based on Vaganova, Bekebooks ( Dutch Edition ) ISBN 9789090769953

2009* "Urban Dance-Jazzdans" Bekebooks ( Dutch Edition ) ISBN 9789080769960

BOOK COVER* [http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_TDY0Ib64zVNU7yBRCKFaA?feat=directlink]

<EXTRAS>

In 1994 Feliksdal studied and developed special fitness and supporting weight training schemes for professional dancers. It is his firm belief that the professional training of dancers should stimulate technical and artistic dynamics. <EXTERNAL LINKS>

www.bekebooks.nl www.benjaminfeliksdal.com www.50yearsnationalballet.com