Kylián’s Legacy: Dancing with Joy
When legendary Czech choreographer Jiří Kylián created Sechs Tänze in 1986, he drew inspiration from Mozart’s brilliant satirical spirit. Though Mozart was a musical genius who performed for European royalty from age five, he remained bound by the absurd constraints of 18th-century social hierarchy. Set to Mozart’s playful Six German Dances, Kylián’s masterwork acknowledges Mozart and demonstrates the ironies of his life by depicting the strange customs of court life. The powdered white faces and wigs that were once status symbols of European nobility become tools for Kylián’s comedy, along with elaborate costumes and theatrical gestures. Through these historical elements and precisely crafted absurdity, he transforms the stage into a space where social conventions become both ridiculous and maddening.
Molly Rapp and Keenan Fletcher performing Jirí Kylián’s Sechs Tänze | Photo by Kelly Pratt
WHY THIS MATTERS NOW
In a world where we erect barriers between ourselves and others – barriers that can wound, divide, and even destroy – Kylián's artful use of humor opens essential conversations about status, culture, and the masks we wear. Sechs Tänze isn't just entertaining – it uses laughter to expose the painful divisions we create and maintain. When classical refinement collides with natural movement on stage, these carefully constructed differences begin to dissolve. Through comedy, Kylián reminds us that beneath every role we play, every costume we wear, we are simply – human.
"Although the entertaining quality of Mozart's Sechs Tänze enjoys great popularity, it shouldn't only be regarded as a burlesque," Kylián explains. "Its humor ought to serve as a vehicle to point towards our relative values."
MORE THAN JUST ENTERTAINMENT
In his "six seemingly nonsensical acts," Kylián creates deliberate contrasts:
Classical technique meets awkward, unpolished movements
Elegant period costumes frame absurd situations
Serious historical context plays against comedic action
"Two centuries separate us from the time Mozart wrote his German Dances – an historical period shaped considerably by wars, revolutions and all sorts of upheavals," Kylián notes. Like Mozart, he responds to life's difficulties with what he calls "a self-preserving outburst of nonsensical poetry."
A PERFECT FIT FOR SAINT LOUIS DANCE THEATRE
This St. Louis premiere – the first-ever performance of Kylián's work by a St. Louis dance company – represents a local milestone. It places Saint Louis Dance Theatre as an emerging force in the contemporary dance community, where artistic excellence, social commentary, and accessibility go hand in hand.
"Dance theatre reminds us not to take ourselves too seriously," observes STLDT Artistic Director Kirven Douthit-Boyd. "When we bring humor to the stage, as Kylián does masterfully in Sechs Tänze, we make powerful connections with our audience."
