by tony reverditto theatr A-LISTSe LOCAL DANCER IN HISTORICAL
BALLET COMPANY TAKES LEAPS AND BOUNDS
A Southern California native, Charles Andersen was born in Glendora,
California in 1987 and is a member of the Royal Danish Ballet’s corps de ballet. He trained at the Anaheim Ballet Academy and graduated from the Royal Ballet School in London in 2006, securing a permanent spot in the Royal Danish Ballet Company that same year. His determination landed him a solo performance inthe Benno and Pas de Trois in Swan Lake; other performances include Onegin, Giselle, Earth, Requiem, Etudes, La Sylphide, Napoli, Swan Lake, Caroline Mathilde, Romeo and Juliet and Le Sacre du Printemps.
Hello, Charles, thanks for taking the time to share some of your background with our readers. What inspired you to become a ballet dancer? My grandfather took me to see a lot of musical theatre from a very early age. I always looked forward to the nights we got to go to the theatre and see another show. I told my parents I wanted to be in one and they let me audition. My first show was The Wizard of Oz. I had a great time and started performing in musicals in California. One time my mom said there was an audition for The Nutcracker with Anaheim Ballet. I auditioned not really knowing the difference between a ballet and a musical. After being cast as Fritz in the ballet and starting rehearsals, I realized we were not singing any songs and I then figured out I was in a ballet, not a musical. Slowly, I stopped doing musicals and became a full time ballet “bun-head.” How did you get involved with the Anaheim Ballet? When I was 15 years old I was placed on the scholarship program ‘Step Up’ with
Anaheim Ballet and began taking 10 dance classes a week. I was also a boy scout and achieved the rank of eagle scout, the highest rank in the program while I was involved in all my ballet training. You have worked with so many people; who was the most influential person in
your life? I have had many people who have influenced my life in one way or another. I think
my teachers in Anaheim have given me so much to be thankful for. They taught me my art form and how to use my body to express myself. As a professional dancer, I have enjoyed working with many choreographers such as Jorma Elo and Jiri Kylian. Becoming a member of the Royal Danish Ballet is quite an accomplishment;
how did that happen for you? While a senior at Glendora High School I was competing in many ballet competi- tions. I was in New York for the final round of Youth America Grand Prix and there I won
photo by Henrik Sternberg
Top 5 in the men’s division and received a full scholarship to the Royal Ballet School in London. While I was in London, we were on tour in Washington D.C. and the Royal Danish school was also there on tour. The director of the company at that time saw me dancing and liked me very much and offered me a position in the company. I was very happy to have been offered a job in Denmark as my grandfather on my dad’s side was Danish and he always told me if I was a good ballet dancer then I should be able to get a job in the Royal Danish Ballet. When I had a job there then he said he would come see me perform, he was very surprised and proud. He made good on his promise twice before he passed away last year. How does the Danish style of training differ from America’s? The Danish training for everyday classes is quite similar to the American style of ballet class. We use a lot of influ- ences and exercises from the Balanchine Company and New York City Ballet. When
we dance Bournonville, the traditional Danish style of dance, there are a lot of dif- ferences. Before moving to Denmark I had always enjoyed watching Bournonville ballets and was very excited to go there and learn and dance them myself. The Bournonville school is very heavy on your legs and is very difficult to dance. There are a lot of different ways of placing the head and arms while
you dance and there is a lot of jumping.
What was your most memorable role and why? Lenski in John Cranko’s, Onegin, I played the part of a young boy betrayed by his
friend Onegin when he dances with my girlfriend. Being a true romantic, I challenge Onegin to a duel, knowing that he is a better gunman which impends my death. I got to play all the great emotions in one ballet, love, jealousy, despair and the best part was to be shot and die onstage. There are many talented choreographers and dancers out there. Is there any one whom you would like to work with? I have been very fortunate to work with many great choreographers and dancers. I think I would love to work again with Jiri Kylian, as well as Christopher Wheeldon. Every choreographer has something new to offer and give to you, I love to work with them all because they expand my vocabulary on movement and teach me something new about my art. What is one of your future career goals? In my future I would love to become a soloist in the company and dream of dancing another romantic/ tragic role like Romeo in “Romeo and Juliet.”
Anderson will be dancing a pas de deux in Jorma Uotinen’s piece, Jorma Elo’s
Lost on Slow, Bournonville’s Variations and a pas de six in Bounonville’s Napoli. Program I: May 24-25, Nordic Choreography Project - A unique program of new
works created by four great Nordic choreographers: August Bournonville, Jorma Uotinen, Jorma Elo and Johan Kobborg.
Program II: May 27-29. Napoli, The company performs a new production of Danish
choreographer and ballet master, August Bournonville’s most beloved comic ballets created in 1842 and updated by artistic director Nicolaj Hübbe.
The Royal Danish Ballet performs May 24 through 29 at Segerstrom Center For The Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Tickets: 714.556.2787 or
SCFTA.org.
MAY 2011 | RAGE monthly 25
photo by Avud Amzallag
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