Kevin Haigen was born in Miami (Florida) in 1954.
Receiving his first training with Diana Avery and Martha Mahr, accepting a scholarship to
School of American Ballet (SAB) at age 15, he moves to New York where he was taught among
others by Suki Schorer and Stanley Williams. While still a student at SAB, he choreographed
his first work.
In 1970, he joined American Ballet Theatre under the tutorage of Erik Bruhn working with
choreographers like Agnes De Mille, Anthony Tudor, Rudolf Nureyev, Jerome Robbins, Glen
Tetley and John Neumeier.
In 1975, he becomes member of the Stuttgart Ballet under the short-lived direction of Glen
Tetley. Searching to work with living choreographers, he had to fortune to join John
Neumeier’ Hamburg Ballet in February 1976. He became principal in 1977 (although the
Hamburg Ballet remains an ensemble company): the priority being creativity.
From 1978 to 1983, he works closely with John Neumeier and his world.
In 1984, he joins with NDT working with Jiri Kilian, Christopher Bruce, William Forsythe and
Nacho Duato. In 1985, he became ballet master, permanent teacher and artist invité for the newly formed
Ballets de Monte-Carlo under the direction of Ghislaine Thesmar and Pierre Lacotte. He
choreographs ‘’Young Apollo’’ commissioned for the Prince Rainier’s birthday.
In 1986, he joined London Festival Ballet under the direction of Peter Schaufuss.
In 1987, he became resident teacher and principal dancer at the newly formed Béjart Ballet
Lausanne creating with Maurice ‘’La Valse’’, ‘’Mozart Tango’’ and the role of Alberich in ‘’The
Ring’’.
He returns to Hamburg in 1991 as ballet master for the Hamburg Ballet and teacher for
Hamburg Ballet School. In 2006, he becomes first ballet master.
In 2011, he is named artistic and pedagogical director of the Bundes Jugend Ballett appearing
in Copenhagen in Summer 2017/18 with Peter Bo Bendixen/Tivoli Ballet Theatre.
As teacher he guests internationally for Paris Opera Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, Royal Swedish
Ballet among others.
Creating the role of Armand with Marcia Haydee in “The Lady of the Camellias’’ for the
Hamburg (actual) version , he assists John in the staging internationally of his masterpiece.
Returning to Tivoli Seminar, it is exciting for him to come back to Denmark once again where
he started his Copenhagen love affair when he was 17, staging ‘’Les Sylphides’’ for Royal
Danish Ballet with Erik Bruhn.
The Danish journey continued teaching at the Bartholin Seminar, coaching the Royal Danish
Ballet and being involved in with the creation of John Neumeier’s ballet ‘’The Little Mermaid’’.
Recently returning to the Royal Theatre to teach and coach ‘’The Lady of the Camellias’’.
Most inspiring is the development of the future: training creative thinkers and movers that
the art of ballet is a never-ending journey. Our Tivoli Balletskole/Hamburg Ballet School
collaboration is a new and exciting challenge. Thank you Peter Bo for your invitation, loyalty and faith.
Carolina Borrajo
Photo by Kiran West
Carolina Borrajo was born in Zaragoza, Spain. She was trained at the Marìa de Ávila Ballet School in her native town and at the School of the Hamburg Ballet. After her first engagement at the Ballet Classico de Zaragoza, she was a soloist at Bonn Opera, at the Hessian State Theatre Wiesbaden and at the Lucerne Theatre. She received her diploma as a childrens dance teacher and stage dance teacher at the State University of Performing Arts in Mannheim. In August 2008 she took up a position on the teaching faculty of the School of the Hamburg Ballet.
Konstantin Tselikov
Photo by Kiran West
Konstantin Tselikov was born in Artashat, Armenia, and received his training at the Prag Conservatory and the School of the Hamburg Ballet. He joined the Hamburg Ballet in 2004 and was promoted to Soloist in 2011. His awards include Finalist at the International Dance Competition in Nyon, Switzerland (1999), Best up-and-coming Young Dancer at the National Ballet Competition in Brno (2000) and First Prize at the International Ballet Competition - Prix Carpeaux (2002). John Neumeier created Wolf Beifeld in Liliom for him. Konstantin Tselikov was also part in creations by others choreographers such as Lloyd Riggins (Giacomo in Napoli), Yohan Stegli (The Brain of Sascha Trusch and Herr Sprüngli) and Edvin Revazov (Closed Rooms and Zozula). His repertory with the Hamburg Ballet includes Mads Moen in Peer Gynt, Petrushka and Stanislaw Nijinsky in Nijinsky, Fritz in The Nutcracker, Hilarion in Giselle, Philostrat/Puck and Flute/Thisbe in A Midsummer Nights Dream and Sebastian in VIVALDI or What you will as well as solos in Saint Matthew Passion, Third Symphony of Gustav Mahler, Préludes CV and Le Sacre. He also danced in ballets by Frederick Ashton (Alain in La Fille mal gardée) and Jerome Robbins (The Shy Boy in The Concert und Man in Brick in Dances at a Gathering). As a choreographer, he has created sella (2017), Solo für zwei (2016) and Yes we could (2015) for the Young Choreographers program. As a guest artist, he appeared in the Jubilee Gala of the Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching Academy in Sydney.
Ann Drower
Photo by Kiran West
Ann Drower was born in Wimbledon, England and was educated at the Royal Ballet School in London. She danced with companies across Germany (including engagements as a soloist in Kiel, Krefeld and Hanover) and was a member of the Hamburg Ballet from 1976 to 1982. Since retiring from the company, she has run the preparatory classes of the School of the Hamburg Ballet. As ballet mistress for the school, she is also responsible for rehearsing the roles in productions of the Hamburg Ballet that are danced by students of the school. In 2011, Ann Drower helped to stage John Neumeier’s ballet „Illusions – like Swan Lake“ with the Bavarian State Ballet in Munich. She helped to stage “Spring and Fall” at the Cape Town City Ballet in 2014.