Deborah Colker
{{Short description|Brazilian theater director, writer, choreographer, and dancer}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2014}}
{{Infobox person
|name=Deborah Colker
|birth_name=
|image=File:Deborah Colker tvbrasil.jpg
|caption=Deborah Colker in 2013
|birth_date= {{birth date and age|1960|12|06}}
|birth_place= Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
|occupation=Theater director, writer, choreographer, dancer
}}
Deborah Colker (born December 6, 1960, Rio de Janeiro) is a Brazilian writer, theater director, dancer and choreographer.{{Cite web |title=A história de vida de Deborah Colker: Deborah Colker |url=https://museudapessoa.org/historia-de-vida/deborah-colker/ |access-date=2024-10-27 |website=Museu da Pessoa |language=pt}} She was an awardee of the Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance. Colker was also the movement director and choreographer of the 2016 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.
Career
Colker began working as a movement director in 1984. She was involved in more 30 plays, working with Brazil's prominent director and actors.{{Cite web|title=Deborah Colker {{!}} Kennedy Center|url=https://www.kennedy-center.org/artists/c/co-cz/deborah-colker/|access-date=2021-12-28|website=www.kennedy-center.org|language=en}} She founded her dance company, the Companhia de Dança Deborah Colker, in 1993.{{Cite web|title=Deborah Colker|url=https://www.culturesummit.com/people/deborah-colker/|access-date=2021-12-29|website=Edinburgh International Culture Summit|language=en-GB}} One of her early works was Velox, which explored movement and space and integrated movements from ordinary life. It focused on fusing street, classical, and contemporary dances that do not only include dancers as performers, but also actors and fashion models.{{Cite web|title=Deborah Colker: The Olympian Choreographer of Brazil {{!}} Icons|url=http://www.danceicons.org/pages/?p=160824090204|access-date=2021-12-28|website=www.danceicons.org}} One of the notable performances in the company's repertoire was Mix, which featured a collection of movements that investigate the physics of motion on a vertical stage.{{Cite web|title=Deborah Colker Dance Company|url=https://www.israel-opera.co.il/eng/?CategoryID=511&ArticleID=1566|access-date=2021-12-28|website=www.israel-opera.co.il|language=en}} This choreography won for Colker the Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance in 2001.{{cite web|url=http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/olivier_awards/past_winners/view/item98536/Olivier-Winners-2001/|title=Olivier Awards with MasterCard – Official Site|access-date=June 12, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100611085259/http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/olivier_awards/past_winners/view/item98536/Olivier-Winners-2001/|archive-date=June 11, 2010|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}
In 2009, she wrote, directed and choreographed the Cirque du Soleil production, Ovo.{{cite web|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2012/01/theater-review-ovo-by-cirque-du-soleil-at-santa-monica-pier.html|work=Los Angeles Times|author=David Ng|title=Theater review: 'Ovo' by Cirque du Soleil at Santa Monica Pier|date=January 21, 2012}} Her works include 4 por 4 ("4 x 4"), which involved a quartet of dances that also featured high-class circus choreography.{{Cite magazine|title=Companhia De Danca Deborah Colker|url=https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/dance/companhia-de-dana-deborah-colker|access-date=2021-12-28|magazine=The New Yorker|language=en}} This performance explored concepts such as containment, delicacy, limitation, daring, and transparency.{{Cite web|title=4 por 4 {{!}} Companhia de Dança Deborah Colker|url=https://www.ciadeborahcolker.com.br/4por4|access-date=2021-12-28|website=Cia Deborah Colker|language=pt}}
Colker was responsible for the more than 6,000 volunteers who danced in the Rio Olympics opening ceremony.{{cite web|url=https://www.rio2016.com/en/news/opening-ceremony-choreographer-promises-masterpiece-of-dance-and-passion |title=Opening ceremony choreographer promises masterpiece of dance and passion |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807170623/https://www.rio2016.com/en/news/opening-ceremony-choreographer-promises-masterpiece-of-dance-and-passion |archivedate=August 7, 2016 |df=mdy }} She combined Velox and Rota performances, which were part of the repertoire of her dance company.
Personal life
Colker is of Jewish Russian descent, her grandparents on both sides were Jewish Russians who immigrated to Brazil.{{Cite web |title=Companhia de Dança Deborah Colker vem a BH com espetáculo "Sagração", neste fim de semana |url=https://www.otempo.com.br/entretenimento/2024/8/30/companhia-de-danca-deborah-colker-vem-a-bh-com-espetaculo--sagra |access-date=2024-10-27 |website=www.otempo.com.br |language=pt-BR}}{{Cite web |title=Deborah Colker: "Renasci com meu neto" |url=https://vejario.abril.com.br/beira-mar/coreografa-deborah-colker-neto-epidermolise-bolhosa |access-date=2024-10-27 |website=VEJA RIO |language=pt-BR}}
Awards
- 2001 : Laurence Olivier
- 2018 : Prix Benois de la Danse
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|http://www.ciadeborahcolker.com.br}}
- [http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/ovo/show/creators/deborah-colker.aspx Cirque Du Soleil – Meet the Creators of Ovo]
{{OlivierAward DanceAchievement}}
{{Order of Cultural Merit}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Colker, Deborah}}
Category:Brazilian female dancers
Category:People from Rio de Janeiro (city)
Category:Brazilian choreographers
Category:Brazilian women choreographers
Category:Prix Benois de la Danse winners
{{Brazil-writer-stub}}
{{dance-bio-stub}}