ROBERT SOLOMON

USA

The African American choreographer Robert Solomon, based in Düsseldorf/Berlin, Germany, trained at the Henry Street Palyhouse in New York with Murray Louis and Alwin Nikolais. In 1967 he directed a dance workshop („Project Deep“, Dorchester Country/South Carolina) to bring students into a positive invironment to prepare them for reading courses. This project was sponsored by the United Churches of America. In 1968 Solomon joined the Nikolais troup for three years as a solist. Touring the USA as well as foreign countries. He performed together with his own company throughout the USA.  In recognition of his individual style Solomon was awarded a grant from the Chimera Foundation for a solo work.

GREAT BRITAN

Solomon premiered with the Nikolais Dance Theater in Sadler`s Wells in 1969. In 1971 he appeared as a solist and received an extremly good review from the London Times and the Daily Telegraph. In the London School of Contemporary Dance Solomon gave a three week course. His highly individula style to proceed from improvisation to choreography was greatly appreciated. Consequently his work was integrated into the regular curriculum of the London School of Contemporary Dance. He presented his choreographies in the London School (The Place). He collaborated with the conductor Charles Groves and the London Symthony Orchestra by Frederic Delius` „Kuanga“which premiered at Sadler`s Wells Theater in 1972. Solomon tought and choreographed in London from 1971-73.

FRANCE

In 1975, Solomon took part in the 10th Festival de Paris. He presented his choreographies at the “Opera comique“, at the “Faculte de Droit“ at the Ville de Baynolet “ and at the“Culturel de Dance“ a Cannes, directed by Rosella Hightower. There he created his full length work “Der und das Madchen“, music by Franz Schubert. The following years he regularly gave workshops in France at several places, as Montpellier, Marseiller or Firminy. 1987 Robert Solomon and his company were invited to present their performance GOING IN at Cap d “ Agde.

GERMANY

In 1973 Robert Solomon went to the Federal Republic of Germany where he became teacher of improvisation, choreography and technique at the Folkwangschule in Essen. His interest in this school based on the history of the Folkwangschule where the conception of Rudolf von Laban had been tought and by whom Alwin Nikolais had been influenced through the works of Mary Wigman and Hnya Holm. From these influences and influences of Afro American Jazz Dance, Solomon has developed his own individual form of „dance theatre“. He tought choreography and composition in the Folkwangschule from 1973-1976.
In 1976 Solomon began to collaborate with the cultural institution the „Werkstatt“ in Düsseldorf. He launched the „Project Dance Theatre“ with the aim to found a dance theatre group. Works of this group were presented in spring 1979 with a remarkable success. The „Werkstatt“ was awarded the first cultural price by the city of Essen, Germany. 1983 Robert Solomon founded his „Jazz-Tanz-Theater im Fürstenwall“ to concentrate on his ambitions as a choreographer and on the figuration of an all professional company. One of Robert Solomons biggest productions of the „Jazz-Tanz-Theater im Fürstenwall“ is financially supported by the city of Düsseldorf: GOING IN.