Choreographer Neumeier: Dance is the most human art

Choreographer John Neumeier sees dance as a reflection of life. "For me, dance is the most human art because it uses people as an instrument and also as a subject," said the 85-year-old artist a few days before the premiere of his ballet "Nijinsky", which he has newly arranged for the Semperoper. The premiere is next Friday.

Even when adapting literary material for a ballet, the focus is on the human being. "It doesn't matter what time the work is set in," he explained.

Neumeier was born in Milwaukee (US state of Wisconsin). He came to Germany in the early 1960s and initially danced with the Stuttgart Ballet. From 1973 to 2024, he was ballet director and chief choreographer of the Hamburg Ballet.

You always have to ask about the core of the work

"I don't have a form for how I realize a literary piece. Every piece has its own world," emphasized the choreographer. You have to decide how this world can become visible without words. "What do I have to invent in order to achieve the same effect as the literary model? I always have to ask about the core of the work."

Neumeier has also repeatedly turned pieces with biblical content, such as Bach's "St. Matthew Passion", into dance. "Ultimately, the music fascinates me. It wasn't that I first wanted to make a ballet about the Passion of Christ, but I was fascinated by the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, the depth and spirituality that lies in this music."

Neumeier recalled the beginnings of his career in his hometown of Milwaukee (US state of Wisconsin.) "I went to a Jesuit university. It was taken for granted that faith could find expression in art. Human beings have a rational, emotional and sexual side, but also a spiritual one."

Neumeier: "My style is whatever the subject demands."

Why not bring this side into a choreography? "This is my examination of faith," emphasized the artist. He does not want to be categorized stylistically. "I can only say it's contemporary dance. My training comes from classical and modern dance. My style is whatever the subject demands."

The Polish-Russian dancer Vaslav Nijinsky (1889-1950), to whom Neumeier dedicated a ballet in 2000, played a special role in his life. "I have always delved deeper into Nijinsky and tried to understand events better. But the fascination for him has remained the same, whereas the interest has even grown stronger and stronger."

A choreographer wants to do better every time

The ballet that is now being staged in Dresden is certainly different to the one that was shown at the premiere in 2000. "I haven't stood still, I have hopefully also developed as a person." The choreography is a little different every time.

In his work with dancers, Neumeier does not see himself as a "despot". Above all, he needs their trust. "I try to be honest and say exactly what I think, name my mistakes. This form of dialog is very important. I don't shout at people, but I try to explain as precisely as possible what is wrong."

Passing on experience to the younger generation

Neumeier sees a mission in passing on experience to the younger generation. His dance collage "Die Unsichtbaren", which he created together with the Bundesjugendballett and which deals with ostracized dancers of the Nazi era, recently served this purpose. "It was important to me that young people understand that there was a time when personal freedoms that we take for granted today were restricted."