Les Ballets Persans () is the successor company and the recreation of the former Iranian National Ballet Company (). Based in Sweden as a non-profit and non-governmental organization, Les Ballets Persans is an internationally touring dance ensemble founded by Nima Kiann, the Iranian born Swedish dancer, ballet master, choreographer and dance scholar.Official Website of Les Ballets Persans’’Les Ballets Persans.’’ (2002). World Premiere souvenir program booklet. Stockholm: LBP Publications Les Ballets Persans is also known as The New Iranian National Ballet and has been regarded as the most extensive artistic Iranian project ever realized in exile.Åkesson, Johan (2002) Irans nationalbalett återuppstår [Iran's national ballet will be revived]. Sesam Cultural Magazine. No 34, September 4, 2002Craine, Debra & Mackrell, Judith (2000). Oxford Dictionary of Dance. New York: Oxford University PressKoegler, Horst (1987). The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Ballet. New York: Oxford University Press
Since its establishment in 2002, Les Ballets Persans has been collaborating with national ballet ensembles of former USSR countries. The company has within its own productions introduced and promoted national ballet companies of Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in the West for the first time after these countries’ independence following the fall of the Soviet Union.”Journey to the Land of Turquoise.” (2012). Company program book. Hamburg: LBP PublicationsTamasha Program (July 2000). BBC Persian.Manoto1 TV's exclusive Norouz program, Bazm’e Bahar (March and September 2014)
History
Revival of the Iranian National Ballet in Les Ballets Persans
The project and concept of recreating the former Iranian National Ballet Company was introduced by Nima Kiann in 1998. During the forthcoming five years, a great number of cultural and artistic organizations, authorities, royalties, art patrons, cultural personalities, etc. were approached throughout Europe and the United States. Inspired by the legendary Ballets Russes and Ballets Suedois, Les Ballets Persans was formed in exile to create inventive choreographies on three foundations; 1) reflecting the Iranian history, culture and heritage through the means of dance on historical, mythological, folkloric and social themes, 2) to create choreographies that are based entirely on classical ballet technique but include and adapt new movement vocabulary of Persian dance, and 3) reviving an oblivion ballet heritage, not only in Iran and after the disbanding of the Iranian National Ballet, but also in the neighboring countries that share the same cultural heritage with Iran.Patriot med mödosam mission. [Patriot with an arduous mission]. Article and interview in Göteborgs-Posten newspaper. 2000-01-26
Founders’ Circle
In order to implement the administrative tasks of the project and making preparations for the establishment of the new dance company, a Founder's Circle was formed in 2000 consisting of Marian Laurell (former managing director of Cullberg Ballet), Lia Schubert (the grand lady of Swedish ballet and founding director of the Ballet Academies in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Haifa), Dr. Karl Ryberg (a dance connoisseur and psychologist) and Nima Kiann among other members. The Foundation of Les Ballet Persans was registered in Sweden in 2001.The chronology of the Iranian National Ballet and Les Ballets Persans.
Considered as a vast integration and remarkable artistic project, the organization received funds from intercultural sponsors and various Swedish authorities such as Swedish National Office for Cultural Affairs, National Integration Office of Sweden, Cultural Administration of Stockholm County Council.From Persian Wikipedia (سازمان باله ایران). Retrieved 2011-10-15.
Marita Ulvskog, the Culture Minister of Sweden expressed her admiration towards Kiann's efforts through a letter on February 21, 2000: ... Please allow me to express my admiration for the energy and purposefulness with which you are equipped in order to pursue this project. To give life to an artistic tradition after more than twenty years of interruption demands a willpower of the kind that only an indomitable yearning can give. This yearning to recreate what there has been, can be difficult to understand for us, who are not sharing the painful experience that often is behind.Official website of Nima Kiann
World Premiere performance
The World Premiere of Les Ballets Persans included four choreographies of Nima Kiann and two full-length ballets (Babek and Seven Beauties - 2002) of prominent Azerbaijani choreographers Rafiga Akhundova and Maksud Mamedov. The Azeri masterworks were created during the Soviet Era and had fallen into oblivion since their excerption from the repertoire of the National Ballet of Azerbaijan (Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater) in the 1970s and 1980s. Babek (1986, music: Akshin Alizadeh) is a Spartacus like heroic ballet based on the story of Babak Khorramdin. The ballet was staged by Les Ballets Persans for the first time in the West. Seven Beauties (1978, music: Kara Karaev), a one-act ballet based on Haft Peykar, the romantic epic of Nezami Ganjavi, a Persian 12th century poet. Les Ballet Persans had its World Premiere on October 7, 2002, at Cirkus Theatre in the Royal Djurgården, a late 19th century theater venue in the historical part of Stockholm. The premiere production of the company involved 106 individuals from 22 nationalities.
Political attack on the dance company
The dance company was unwillingly drawn into a political conflict between Azerbaijan, Iran and Sweden during its world premiere production.Les Ballets Persans struggles to survive. Payvand Iran News. 2003-01-09. Retrieved 2014-09-23 The conflict was provoked by an Iranian-Azerbaijani separatist movement. (See the Notes below) The movement based in Stockholm and active under the name of a cultural organization (Azerbaijan National Association, in ), came into contact with Les Ballets Persans's office a few weeks before the company's world premiere performanceAli Mullazadeh’s radio interview and debate. Radio Iran. 2002-10-10 and claimed that by staging two ballets created by Azeri choreographers, Les Ballets Persans has attempted to confiscate national heritage of Azerbaijan.Les Ballets Persans’ press release in Persian. 2002-10-18 The association, being linked to the movement of Seyyed Ja'far Pishevari,Azerbaijan National Association’’South Azerbaijan: Between Tehran, Baku, Moscow (1939-45).’’ Baku, 1998.(In Azeri) Jamil Hasanli made laud protests in the Media, provoked a verbal conflict between Azerbaijan, Sweden and Iran and tried to disturb the production by threatening the dance company and its participating artists and dancers.Olaylar online magazine. Retrieved 2007-04-17Tribune online magazine. Retrieved 2003-04-25
While the Azerbaijan National Association in Stockholm denied in the Iranian, Swedish and international Media any political agenda and connection to political sources in Baku,Interview of the Separatist Movement’s leader, Ali Mullazadeh, with Tribune Radio and online portal. 2002-10-05 its representative in the Azerbaijanian capital inflamed the Ministry of Culture and some radical nationalistic cultural figures against Les Ballets Persans and the initiated collaboration between Azeri and Iranian artists.The spokesman of the separatist movement, Samed Fertash’ press conferences in Baku. 2002-10-06, 2002-10-10 and 2002-10-31 The separatist movement demanded that a flag of Azerbaijan Republic would be put up in the proscenium during the performance. The demand was denied by the company and the separatist movement's leader, Ali Mullazadeh, threatened over a telephone conversation the day before the world premiere “to terminate and take down this dance company by any means and at any price”.Police report. City of Stockholm. 2002-11-06 As the protests were intensifying with anguish reaction of Azerbaijanian officials as result, Tomas Bolme the President of the International Federation of Actors (FIA)Federation International des Acteurs along with representative of the Swedish Cultural Department, and Swedish prominent dance artists addressed letters of support in favor of Les Ballets Persans’ non-political and pure artistic intentions to Heydar Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan Republic and the country's Ministry of Culture. The intensity of the protest of the separation movement never decreased when the company was on tour. A group of demonstrators (even few in number but aggressively loud) gathered in front of the venues in which Les Ballets Persans was performing. Flyers with political message were handed out among visitors.Azerbaijan National Association’s press release. 2002-10-06 Consequently, Les Ballets Persans’ tour was discontinued which caused economic difficulties for the company. Two weeks after the cancelation of Les Ballets Persans international tour, the company was reorganized and started a new production. Les Ballets Persans’ second production including the ballet of Femme, choreographed by Nima Kiann and the ballet to become the company's signature work, was staged at the Stockholm Concert Hall on May 5, 2003, seven months after the company's world premiere production.”The ballet of Femme at Stockholm Concert Hall” Les Ballets Persans’ press release in Persian. 2003-05-01
As a result of the disturbing protests of the Azerbaijanian separatist movement and their threats, the two Azeri ballets (Babek and Seven Beauties) were immediately excluded from the repertoire of Les Ballets Persans. When the situation had calmed down in Baku, the Azerbaijanian separatist movement whose actions were condemned by cultural elite of Azerbaijan received massive critics for spoiling a much needed chance for receiving publicity for Azerbaijanian culture and arts in the West. Les Ballets Persans’ presentation of the Azeri ballets was however the first chance for Azerbaijani artists and choreographies to be presented outside of the country after the fall of the Soviet Union and the newly gained independence of the country. The officials of the Ministry of Culture were also criticized for their inappropriate statements and unprofessional handling of the case.Debate at Space TV in Baku, Azerbaijan. 2002-10-30
Since the exclusion of the two Azeri ballets from Les Ballets Persans’ repertoire, Babek has never been staged again either inside or outside Azerbaijan by National Ballet of Azerbaijan or any other company. Seven Beauties was reproduced in 2009 on the occasion of the 90 years anniversary of Kara Karaev, the composer of the ballet.Restating of "Yeddi gözəl" (Seven Beauties) at Baku Opera House . 2008-10-29 As a recognition of the efforts of People's artists of Azerbaijan, Rafiga Akhundova and Maksud Mamedov, National Television of Azerbaijan broadcast the recording of Les Ballets Persans’ world premiere performance.National Television of Azerbaijan. 2009-01-10
Repertoire
Les Ballets Persans repertoire is limited to new or already existing choreographic creations of neo-classical and contemporary ballets that have a distinct connection to the Iranian heritage in terms of music, story, folklore and literature. It strives to become a platform for exploring the ties between artistic creativity and dramatic social issues such as war, dislocation, exile, and artistic suppression. The company repertoire does not include any work of the international classical ballet repertoire. Works are having a unified theme: pieces are often one act, and always sought to express a single theme throughout the piece.
Besides the two Azerbaijanian ballets, Babek and Seven Beauties, another piece; Flamenco on Persian Rhythms (2004, choreography: Gabriela Gutarra) all other choreographies until 2014 were created by Les Ballets Persans’ founder and principal choreographer.