Semperoper Ballett Principal Dancer Jón Vallejo on working with acclaimed choreographer William Forsythe

Spanish born Jón Vallejo is a principal dancer with Semperoper Ballett (Dresden, Germany), a company with a long history with the acclaimed choreographer William Forsythe. In this podcast, Jón shares his experience of working with Forsythe over his 12 year career with the company, and gives us an insight into how Forsythe breathes new life into his revered pieces to keep them fresh for the dancers and the audience. Semperoper Ballett is showcasing three works by William Forsythe in triple bill All Forsythe, at London’s Sadler’s Wells (21 – 23 June). The triple bill includes the groundbreaking In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated, which famously changed ballet forever, with its deconstruction of classical ballet technique. Neue Suite, created especially for the company, is made up of a series of pas de deux choreographed between 1987 and 1999, which gives highlights of Forsythe’s repertoire.  Enemy in the Figure features 11 cavorting dancers, lit by a single spotlight. Jón also shares with us what makes Semperoper Ballett unique and how they realise the artistic vision of “breaking down the borders that traditionally exist between classical and contemporary dance and redefining dance as a culmination of both.” Listen to his personal journey of growing up in the Spanish Basque country to becoming a principal dancer. PRESS PLAY! https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/djwpodcasts/1wwwod/jon+vallejo.mp3