Stuttgart’s Marijn Rademaker returns home to join the Dutch National Ballet

Marijn Rademaker‘s face already adorns the site of the Dutch National Ballet which he will join at the beginning of next year.

After 15 years with the Stuttgart Ballet he returns ‘home' and will be the only Dutch principal dancer in the company; the last was Boris de Leeuw. After such a long time with the Stuttgart company, and with an intimate knowledge of their repertory, he will continue to guest there, which will delight his many local fans.

In a press statement he said,

I am very exited returning to my country and dance at the Dutch National Ballet. I think it's a great and versatile company with a great repertoire. After being a regular guest artist with the company I noticed how much I missed Holland and how much I like the group. I came to a point in my life where I feel it is important for me as a person and artist to continue my journey in the Netherlands.

I have been at the Stuttgart Ballet for almost 15 years and I love the Stuttgart Ballet so this was not an easy decision for me. Without Reid Anderson and the whole Stuttgart Ballet I wouldn't be the dancer I am now. They taught me what dance is, what it means to me and how to actually dance. I am very very grateful for all they have given me and will miss them very much. A part of me will always be a Stuttgart dancer.  It makes me happy to take all I have learned to my new company and continue my journey there!

Choreographer Ted Brandsen, who is director of the Dutch National Ballet, commented,

I'm delighted that Marijn Rademaker is coming to join Dutch National Ballet. He is without doubt the best male classical dancer from the Netherlands in the world today. He has a strong presence and moves the audience with his special combination of sublime classical ballet technique, great intuitive musicality and intense charisma. This combination makes Marijn not only a dream ballet prince, but also a sublime interpreter of the neoclassical and modern ballet repertoire of choreographers like Hans van Manen, George Balanchine and John Neumeier.

When Marijn came to Dutch National Ballet a few years ago as a guest artist, there was no indication that he would join our company on a permanent contract. His decision to move to the Netherlands and join Dutch National Ballet is a great asset to the art of dance in the Netherlands and to Dutch National Ballet in particular.

Reid Anderson, the director of the Stuttgart Ballet, said,

Marijn Rademaker danced almost everything in our repertoire and inspired many choreographers who created great roles for him. He is an exceptional dancer, a darling of the public and a beautiful person. We will miss him very much and wish he will continue dancing here as a guest.

Gramilano( Editor )

Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.

His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times magazine.