Published Books
Publications released by the Pavel Šmok Institute under the Balet Praha imprint can be ordered directly by emailing info@institutpavlasmoka.cz. Available in Czech only.
(Studio) Ballet Prague – The New Wave of Czechoslovak Choreography
The publication (Studio) Ballet Prague – The New Wave of Czechoslovak Choreography is the first comprehensive overview presenting the history and significance of the pioneering company Ballet Prague (or Studio Ballet Prague, as it was known in its early days). The company, founded in the early 1960s by our most progressive choreographers, Pavel Šmok and Luboš Ogoun, became a small miracle in Czech ballet. This popular educational book presents dance history in a lively and accessible way. Drawing on the memories of dancers who experienced this golden age and performed with Ballet Prague, as well as program notes, period articles, and numerous reviews by Czech and international critics, the book explores the conditions under which the company operated at the time, the creative roots of both prominent choreographers, and the genesis of the most famous works that emerged in its repertoire. An integral part of the book is the visual documentation that guides the reader through the entire publication. The book is published with financial support from the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, the State Cultural Fund, the Czech Music Fund Foundation, the Pavel Šmok Foundation and Institute, and the Prague Chamber Ballet. It is the first title in the Pavel Šmok Institute’s series “Studio Ballet Prague and the Prague Chamber Ballet – History and Personalities.”
Author: Lucie Kocourková
Publisher: Balet Praha
Dimensions: 216 x 219 x 21
Publication Date: November 18, 2021
EAN: 9788090829404
Binding: hardcover
Weight: 880 g
Language: Czech
Number of pages: 237
Edition: 1
ISBN: 978-80-908294-0-4
Price: 359 CZK
Pavel Šmok – Choreographer with the Soul of a Poet
The publication Pavel Šmok – Choreographer with the Soul of a Poet offers a comprehensive overview of the work of one of our most significant choreographers of the 20th century and is sure to delight every lover of dance and ballet. Pavel Šmok became renowned as an innovator of ballet art in Czechoslovakia, and his fame extended far beyond its borders. The book traces Šmok’s career from his youth, identifies the influences that shaped his brilliant and multifaceted talent, highlights the characteristic features of his work in different periods, and explores what all his famous choreographies have in common. Pavel Šmok was exceptionally musical; he created his most famous choreographies in dialogue with the music of such giants as Leoš Janáček, Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák, and others. He had a great talent for creating humor on stage, but also for telling stories through dance without words and conveying a full range of emotions. The book chronicles his career as a dancer and his early choreographic works in Ústí nad Labem and Ostrava, the founding of the legendary Ballet Prague, the era during which Pavel Šmok served as ballet director in Basel, and his tireless work with the second company he founded, the Prague Chamber Ballet. The author drew on dozens of articles, reviews, and interviews published in the domestic and international press; the book also features extensive photographic documentation. The book is published with financial support from the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, the State Cultural Fund, the Czech Music Fund Foundation, the Czech Literary Fund Foundation, and the Pavel Šmok Foundation and Institute. It is the second title in the Pavel Šmok Institute’s series “Studio Ballet Prague and the Prague Chamber Ballet – History and Personalities.” The author of the book is dance historian PhDr. Lucie Kocourková.
Author: Lucie Kocourková
Publisher: Balet Praha
Dimensions: 217 x 218 x 21
Publication date: July 7, 2023
EAN: 9788090829411
Binding: hardcover
Weight: 934 g
Language: Czech
Number of pages: 250
Edition: 1
ISBN: 978-80-908294-1-1
Price: 389 CZK
Luboš Ogoun – Star of Postwar Ballet
The year 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of the prominent Czech choreographer and one of the most distinctive figures of modern ballet, Luboš Ogoun (February 18, 1924 – February 14, 2009). To mark this anniversary, the Pavel Šmok Foundation and Institute published a new monograph as part of its series “Studio Ballet Prague and the Prague Chamber Ballet – History and Personalities.” The publication was undertaken by dance historian Kateřina Šalounová, who specializes in the history of ballet after World War II, and dance journalist Lucie Kocourková, who has already established a successful career in non-fiction writing, having authored, among other works, monographs on the Studio Ballet Prague company and choreographer Pavel Šmok. The publication provides an overview of Luboš Ogoun’s choreographic work, analyzing his methods, artistic views, and his innovative approach to modern ballet, which was particularly significant in the 1960s. As a co-founder of the Balet Praha company, he stood alongside Pavel Šmok at the forefront of a progressive trend in Czech choreography, which theorist and dramaturg Vladimír Vašut described as the “new wave.” Luboš Ogoun created a number of significant works for the Brno Ballet Company (today National Theatre Brno Ballet); he also served as a choreographer and director for other productions in the fields of opera, operetta, and drama, and collaborated with other theaters as well as in film and television. He also worked with Czechoslovak modern gymnasts and served as the coach of Olympic athlete Eva Bosáková. The book is published with financial support from the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, the State Cultural Fund, the Czech Music Fund Foundation, the Czech Literary Fund Foundation, and the Pavel Šmok Foundation and Institute.
Author: Kateřina Šalounová, Lucie Kocourková
Publisher: Balet Praha
Dimensions: 216 x 216 x 24
Publication Date: March 17, 2025
EAN: 9788090829428
Binding: hardcover
Weight: 1020 g
Language: Czech
Number of pages: 252
Edition: 1
ISBN: 978-80-908294-2-8
Price: 399 CZK