Hans van Manen, Dutch Ballet Choreographer, Dies at 93

Hans van Manen, who rose from poverty to become the resident choreographer of the Netherlands’ two leading ballet companies and who created more than 150 works across eight decades, died on Wednesday at his home in Amsterdam. He was 93. His death was announced in a statement by Ted Brandsen, the director of the Dutch National Ballet.

A former dancer, Mr. van Manen fused classical ballet technique with modern movement to produce a spare, abstract style. He was nicknamed the Piet Mondrian of ballet and was also labeled the Harold Pinter of dance and the Versace of dance, the obituary said; Anna Kisselgoff wrote in 1983 that he “turns out, gratifyingly, to be his own man — the Hans van Manen of dance.” His pieces have been performed by companies including the Royal Ballet, the San Francisco Ballet, the Stuttgart Ballet and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

Hans Arthur Gerard van Manen was born on July 11, 1932, in Nieuwer-Amstel (now Amstelveen) to Gustav and Marga van Manen. He knew poverty as a child after his father died of tuberculosis when Hans was 5, left formal schooling at 11 during the Hunger Winter and began working at the Stadsschouwburg, where he won a national prize for hair and makeup at 16.

He first performed professionally in 1951 and choreographed his debut ballet, "Olé, Olé, la Margarita," four years later.

Key Topics

Culture, Hans Van Manen, Dutch National Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater, Amsterdam, Royal Ballet