Jorma Elo

Jorma Elo (1961, Helsinki, Finland) trained at the Finnish National Ballet School and at the ballet school of the Mariinsky Ballet (St Petersburg, Russia). At the age of sixteen, he joined the Finnish National Ballet and went on to dance with the Cullberg Ballet in Sweden and Nederlands Dans Theater. In 2004, Elo ended his 26-year career as a dancer.

Elo made his debut as a choreographer in 2000 with the Alberta Ballet (Canada). He then worked mainly with companies in the United States (Boston Ballet – where he became resident choreographer in 2005 – , New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet and the Hubbard Street Dance Company) and in Europe with the Royal Danish Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet (Germany), the Bolshoi Ballet (Moscow, Russia), the Royal Ballet of Flanders, the ballet company of the Vienna State Opera (Austria) and the Finnish National Ballet. In the Netherlands, he was often active with Nederlands Dans Theater. His oeuvre comprises over fifty ballets, for which he has also made the costume and lighting designs. He has also developed as a creative video maker. The New York Times called him a ‘talent to follow’.

Awards:

• 2012, Dance Artist Prize (Finland)
• 2011, Rudolf Nureyev Prize for New Dance, for 'One/end/One'
• 2010, Benois de la Danse, best choreography for 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream' and 'Slice to Sharp'