Zora Šemberová
Zora Šemberová | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | March 13, 1913 Vyškov, Austria-Hungary |
| Died | October 9, 2012 (aged 99) Adelaide, Australia |
| Nationality | Czechoslovakia |
Zora Šemberová (March 13, 1913 – October 9, 2012) was a Czech dancer, educator and choreographer. She was the first person to dance the role of Juliet in Sergei Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet.[1] She is considered one of the most important interpreters in Czech dance.[2]
Life
Šemberová was born in
She taught at the Prague Conservatory and at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. In 1968, she moved to Australia to teach at Flinders University. After the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia, she decided to remain in Australia. She taught at the University of Adelaide and founded a mime company, the Australian Mime Theatre. She returned to the Czech Republic several times after 1989. Šemberová received a Thalia Award in 1999 and a Gratias Agit Award in 2005.[1]
She married Dr. Vaclav Holub, a surgeon; the marriage later ended in divorce.[3]
She helped develop and inspire Czech dancers such as Pavel Šmok, Ladislav Fialka, Jiří Kylián and Vlastimil Harapes.[2] She also taught Australian entertainers such as Scott Hicks and his wife Kerry Heysen, Greig Pickhaver, Christian Manon and Gale Edwards.[3]
She died in Adelaide at the age of 99.[2]
References
https://sheris-musings.tumblr.com/post/25254905829/zarajuliet
- ^ a b c "Zora Šemberová, Prokofiev's first Juliet dies at the age of 99". Czech Dance Info. November 5, 2012.
- ^ a b c d "Tribute to Zora Šemberová". Czech Dance Info. March 8, 2013.
- ^ a b "The First Juliet". Australian Ballet. May 23, 2012.
