Press Release: Launch of Luboš Ogoun: Star of Post-War Ballet and Opening of an Exhibition Marking the 60th Anniversary of the Founding of Studio Ballet Prague
Prague, November 29, 2024 – This year is a special one for the Czech dance scene – it marks 100 years since the birth of Luboš Ogoun (February 18, 1924 – February 14, 2009), one of the most prominent figures in modern ballet. The Pavel Šmok Institute and Endowment Fund has prepared a comprehensive monograph mapping his artistic career to mark this anniversary. The publication will be launched on Thursday, December 5, 2024, at 5 p.m. in the Small Hall of the Municipal Library in Prague (Central Library on Mariánské náměstí). The foyer will also host the opening of an exhibition commemorating the 60th anniversary of the founding of Studio Balet Praha, a company created by our most progressive choreographers, Pavel Šmok and Luboš Ogoun, which became a small miracle in Czech ballet art.
The authors of the book Luboš Ogoun: Star of Post-War Ballet, which fills another gap in the history of ballet in the second half of the 20th century, are historian Kateřina Šalounová, who is pursuing postgraduate studies at the Department of Theater Studies at Masaryk University in Brno, focusing on the history of ballet after World War II, and dance journalist and historian Lucie Kocourková, who has long been involved in popularizing dance and is the author of four books.
In recent years, the Pavel Šmok Foundation and Institute has published monographs on the Studio Balet Praha ensemble and choreographer Pavel Šmok, and now it is adding a comprehensive portrait of choreographer Luboš Ogoun, which is primarily the work of the Brno-based author. Luboš Ogoun’s work is mainly associated with the Brno ballet scene. However, he is also the co-founder of the Balet Praha ensemble, which is why the Pavel Šmok Institute took on the publication and initiated its creation.
Ladislava Dunovská Jandová, founder of the Pavel Šmok Foundation and Institute, emphasizes: “I am delighted that we are publishing the third publication in the series ‘Studio Balet Praha a Pražský komorní balet – historie a osobnosti’ (Studio Ballet Prague and Prague Chamber Ballet – History and Personalities) on 20th-century Czech ballet. The new book Luboš Ogoun – Star of Post-War Ballet is an elaborate monograph and a celebration of another important Czech artist. Authors Lucie Kocourková and Kateřina Šalounová have done a great job.”
Co-author Lucie Kocourková adds: “Luboš Ogoun is one of the most important Czech choreographers of the 20th century, but no comprehensive monograph on his work has been published yet. We took advantage of this year’s anniversary and are publishing it in our series. It is a comprehensive overview of his work, with an emphasis on choreography for the Brno ballet company and Balet Praha/Ballet Prague. The book also includes his own reflections on dance and ballet, which he published in the 1960s and which were very progressive. This is precisely my intention in every new publication – to show the creators we perceive as icons today in a different light, as they were when they were young, when they were pioneers and sometimes even rebels.”
The event will also include an exhibition marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of Studio Balet Praha (1964–2024). “For the mobile exhibition, which presents the era of Ballet Prague from its founding to Basel, we have selected significant choreographies by Pavel Šmok and Luboš Ogoun, which not only shaped the face of Ballet Prague, but also influenced other creators,” says Kocourková. “The existence of Ballet Prague became a turning point for our modern ballet, but defining why is a bigger challenge. However, we are trying to discover the characteristics of both creators’ work.”
“We have conceived the exhibition chronologically. The ensemble’s successes are shown through a new selection of a large number of stage photographs and other visual materials, which are complemented by authentic excerpts from memoirs and reviews published in Czechoslovakia and abroad at the time,” adds Dunovská Jandová.
The book launch and exhibition opening will be moderated by Ondřej Kepka.
During the launch, it will be possible to purchase a set of all published publications (Studio) Balet Praha – Nová vlna československé choreografie (Prague Ballet – The New Wave of Czechoslovak Choreography); Pavel Šmok – Choreograf s duší básníka (Pavel Šmok – Choreographer with the Soul of a Poet); Luboš Ogoun: hvězda poválečného baletu (Luboš Ogoun: Star of Post-War Ballet) at a discounted price of CZK 799.
The event is financially supported by the Prague City Hall, the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, and the State Fund for Culture.
Bonus: Discussion with ballet star Jiří Bubeníček
As an accompanying program, the Pavel Šmok Institute and Endowment Fund is preparing a special meeting with world-renowned dancer and choreographer Jiří Bubeníček, which will take place on January 28, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. in the Small Hall of the Municipal Library.
Bubeníček, who has been working abroad for many years, has prepared two significant full-length ballets for domestic ensembles this year – a production of La Strada based on Fellini’s film for the Prague Chamber Ballet and the dance drama Cyrano de Bergerac for the National Theatre Ballet in Brno.
The discussion will offer a unique opportunity to glimpse into the artistic world of one of the most important Czech artists of today. Visitors will learn how dramatic productions are created, what challenges contemporary dancers must overcome, and how the world of dance has changed over the last few decades.
Come and meet a great personality of Czech and world ballet and get inspired!
Media contact:
Pavel Šmok Foundation and Institute
Mgr. Johana Mravcová
tel: +420 605 751 290
e-mail: mravcova@balet-praha.cz
www.institutpavlasmoka.cz