Susanne Grinder (born November 1981) is a Danish ballet dancer. She joined the
Royal Danish Ballet in 1998, becoming a principal dancer in 2012.
Early life
Born in
Helsingør
Helsingør ( , ; sv, Helsingör), classically known in English as Elsinore ( ), is a city in eastern Denmark. Helsingør Municipality had a population of 62,686 on 1 January 2018. Helsingør and Helsingborg in Sweden together form the northern ...
in 1981, her father is a bank manager, her mother a graduate in Danish and history of art. She was brought up in
Snekkersten in the north of
Zealand as the youngest of four children. Like her sister Anne Mie, she went to local ballet classes. Noticing her talent, the teacher recommended she should attend the
Royal Danish Ballet School where she was admitted at the age of seven.
Career
After graduating from the ballet school, she became an apprentice at the Royal Danish Ballet in 1998, a member of the corps in 2000, a soloist in 2005 and in 2010 she was promoted to principal dancer after debuting as Odette/Odile in ''
Swan Lake
''Swan Lake'' ( rus, Лебеди́ное о́зеро, r=Lebedínoye ózero, p=lʲɪbʲɪˈdʲinəjə ˈozʲɪrə, link=no ), Op. 20, is a ballet composed by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1875–76. Despite its initial failur ...
''. Other leading roles include Aurora in ''
The Sleeping Beauty'', Marguerite in
Neumeier's ''
Lady of the Camellias'' and Juliet in ''
Romeo and Juliet
''Romeo and Juliet'' is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetim ...
''. She has also starred in
August Bournonville
August Bournonville (21 August 1805 – 30 November 1879) was a Danish ballet master and choreographer. He was the son of Antoine Bournonville, a dancer and choreographer trained under the French choreographer, Jean Georges Noverre, and the nep ...
's ballets, as Sylphide in ''
La Sylphide'', Teresina in ''
Napoli '', Hilda in ''
A Folk Tale'' and Eleonora in ''
The Kermesse in Bruges
''The Kermesse in Bruges, or The Three Gifts'' is a burlesque ballet in three acts created by the Danish ballet master and choreographer August Bournonville to music by Holger Simon Paulli, first performed by the Royal Danish Ballet on 4 April 1 ...
''. Other highlights have included the title role in ''
Giselle
''Giselle'' (; ), originally titled ''Giselle, ou les Wilis'' (, ''Giselle, or The Wilis''), is a romantic ballet (" ballet-pantomime") in two acts with music by Adolphe Adam. Considered a masterwork in the classical ballet performance canon, ...
'' and Nikiya in ''
La Bayadère''. She has performed abroad in Spain, Italy, France, Russia, Germany and the United States.
When she was 26, Grinder contracted a serious illness which proved to be
Lemierre's syndrome. As a result, it was a year before she could return to the stage.
[
]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grinder, Susanne
Danish ballerinas
Royal Danish Ballet principal dancers
Prima ballerinas
1981 births
People from Helsingør
Living people